


1-A's Wild Cards

by Writer_Sabo



Series: Arikuyo AU [1]
Category: Persona 2, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series, Shin Megami Tensei Series, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: AU, Arikuyo AU, Crossover, Gen, Persona protagonists are sibling au, Triplets, my hero au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:48:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29281731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Sabo/pseuds/Writer_Sabo
Summary: Minato, Yu, and Akira are three brothers with a unique transformations quirk.  Simply known as Armament, they turn into combat ready legends.  The Triplets all have their own reasons for wanting to be heroes.  Join the three as they enter UA and change up the story!
Relationships: Akira Kurusu & Itsuka Kendo, Akira Kurusu & Izuku Midoriya, Akira Kurusu & Shoto Todoroki, Minato Ariasto & Izuku Midoriya, Minato Arisato & Ochako Uraraka, Yu Narukami & Izuku Midoriya, Yu Narukami & Katsuki Bakugo, Yu Narukami & Minato Arisato & Akira Kurusu
Series: Arikuyo AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150355
Comments: 44
Kudos: 97





	1. Lesson 1: U-A Hero Exam Part I

It's the 23 century. As of the last two centuries, 80% of the human race has evolved to gain powers simply known as 'quirks'. In this kind of a world, superheroes and supervillains take center stage.

As quirks change and grow more dangerous, the demand for quirk combat experts, also known as superheroes, needs to be met. As time passes, those who misuse their abilities, vigilantes and supervillains run rampant in society.

With the rising crime rate across the globe, hero high-schools, hero colleges, and hero agencies are erected to provide supply to the demand. There, those gifted with quirks can practice and study to better themselves and the world. 

* * *

  
  


Three brothers stare at the entrance to UA Highschool. They're here each to take the hero exam and to hopefully join UA's hero course. They follow the crowd of students and move their way into the academy.

The oldest of the brothers walks past the gates nonchalantly. He walks with a visible slouch, hands in his pocket, large headphones on, and a 'can't be bothered attitude'. This standoff boy is Minato Arikuyo, fifteen years old. His full height is an average five foot seven. He's currently wearing his dark blue hair swept to the side covering one of his eyes and half of his face. His middle school uniform is as ordinary as can be, however he's wearing it very open and sloppily. Overall, he's the last person you would expect to see darkening the doorstep of UA. Less so during the hero entrance exams. 

Next up is the second brother, Yu Arikuyo. Being the same age as Minato, only 30 minutes younger, he's also fifteen. Standing at a staggering five foot eleven inches. He's just one shy of being an even digit. He sports a pair of rectangular glasses with yellow wings, and has a silver bowl cut that obscures his brows. His uniform is the same as the Minatos, untucked, jacket flared and collar popped. It's like night and day. He walks with his back straight, shoulders squared, and chest forward. He oozes a silent confidence, similar to how a delinquent would when ordering around their gophers, not that he'd actually do that.

Last, but not least, is the youngest brother, born an hour after Yu, apparently taking his Sweet time. Akira Arikuyo stands at a modest five foot nine inches. His black-ish hair is a messy fringe of uncontrollable fluff that frames his face and reaches the nape of his neck. He has frames on his face but has instead chosen large square shaped ones, liking the shape more. Unlike his elders, he wears his uniform properly. It's pressed, tucked in, and buttoned neatly. He shyly trails behind the other two, showing that he's the most nervous of the trio to be here.

As the three brothers go in, the youngest, Akira, breaks the silence, "Do you think all of these people are here for the hero course exam too?" He glances around at the other freshly minted middle school grads.

Yu smiles at Akira, knowing he's only asking due to his frayed nerves, "I would assume so," He puts a hand to his chin. "Although, I'm sure after today we won't be seeing half of these faces."

Yu looks over to his right. Akira follows his gaze. There they can see a green haired boy, same nondescript middle school uniform as theirs. The boy's eyes are flown wide, bloodshot from not blinking, pupils are unseeing, and his knuckles are bleached white from gripping the straps of his yellow backpack too tightly. 

"Look, someone who's more nervous than you," Yu points out. "He's even rocking a bed head like you."

"Don't bring my hair into this," Akira starts, "He looks nice, and who knows, maybe he's got an awesome quirk. Everyone gets test jitters!"

"Except for me," Yu adds his two cents.

As the broccoli looking boy tightens his straps, he puts a hand to his mouth like he might throw up. A spiky haired blonde boy comes up behind him, “Move aside Deku!” They hear the blondie shout. The green haired boy turns around and addresses the one that shouted at him.

“They seem to know each other….” Akira trails off. The angry one swirvs the nervous one, ignoring his greeting. Effectively snubbing him. “That guy wants to be a hero too?” Akira is confused, do they let anyone take these tests? He hopes that he doesn’t have a class with that guy. He seems dangerous.  
  
“Hey, isn’t that Bakugou? You know, from the _sludge incident_ …?” Another random student besides them, watching the blonde labeled as Bakugou, asks a question to their friend.   
  
“Sure is…” The friend answered in awe. The sludge incident must have been something. 

“Any idea what they mean by that?” Akira watches the blonde walk past him.  
  
“No clue,” Yu starts, “But it must be a big deal, if he’s getting people to recognize him.”

The freckled, frazzled lad takes his first step through the entrance. Which might also be his last. They witness as his legs turn to jelly. He stiffly trips over his own two feet. Akira wants to go help him, not being the type to ignore others in need. However, before he has to do anything, the boy hovers in place as a girl with chestnut colored hair stops the greenette's descent. She seems to have used her Quirk to catch him. Concern and kindness on her face as she reassures the broccoli child.

“Are you okay?” Asks the girl wearing a pink scarf and brown jacket.“I stopped you with my quirk, I’m sorry I didn’t ask first. But I figured you didn’t mind me catching you.” She puts her hand together, giving an angelic smile “Isn’t this all nerve racking?” She doesn’t get a response from the greenette but it’s not for a lack of trying. The big eyed boy’s mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for water. “Anyways I’ll meet you inside.” she walks away from the kid, who seems to be too stunned to be able speak.

Yu chuckles "I don't know about him, but I'm sure we'll see her around, right Minato?" Yu turns to look at the blunette who is already gone. "..." He stops smiling briefly.

"Seems we've been left in the dust." He pulls Akira into a one arm hug and drags him along. Akira has to concentrate on not falling flat on his face, or getting choked out from the silverette’s idiotic strength. "Let's go, knowing him, he's probably managed to get himself into some trouble. Some way, somehow." He tutts like a mother hen.

Akira wrenches Yu's meaty arm off, somehow seeing someone more clumsy and nervous than him helps. “What kind of trouble can he be in? It's been like…. Not even a minute…" he stares ahead, trailing off. Honestly, should either of them be surprised? Yu holds back laughter, showing no concern while Akira looks ahead in shock.

Up ahead, in the beautifully kept halls of the most prestigious hero school is a calm blueberry and explosive Pomeranian. Minatos shirt is being gripped in the fist of an angry blond. Minato is refusing to talk to, acknowledge, or hold eye contact with the guy. Enraging him more.

"Oy! Headphones, I'm talking to you! You bumped into  _ me _ . And you won't even say sorry??" He looks the emo boy up and down, assessing him. He gets up in his face "listen here you little shit, shut-ins like you, with no manners, don't get far," he holds his hand up, a dangerous display of smoky fireworks dancing on his palm.  _ "If you catch my drift. _ " He finalizes darkly. Giving the stony face boy one last hot glare before leaving. 

As much as Bakugou thinks he's tough stuff, he's smart enough not to start a fight before the exams. He also won't be wasting his time on extras and small fries. He chuckles to himself while smugly walking away in his baggy pants glory. 

"So, who was she?" Yu is smiling ear to ear. Thoroughly amused. "I thought you'd be the last of us to get a girlfriend."

Akira looks at Minato worriedly, Minato looks fine. Not at all like he just had sparky the angry dinosaur in his face. "Stop messing around. You two took too long gawking," is all the enigma of a person adds. 

They move their little party from the mostly empty hallway to the entirely too full exam room. With how packed it is, they have to sit apart. Minato sits in the back, managing to be next to a black raven. Yu manages to make his way between another rectangle glasses wearer and a girl with aux cord earlobes. Akira sits towards the front, shortly being joined by the green haired boy from earlier.

* * *

  
  


"ALRIGHTY!" booms a powerful voice "it's TIME, for UA's written exam." He smiles as he pulls out papers and hands them out face down. The collective of students recognize the man, he is unmistakably the hero present mic. The ‘teacher’ in front of them is tall, with unbelievably high blond hair, yellow aviators, a small mustache, and an impressive speaker on his neck. “You have one hour. Take your time on the questions and be sure to be thorough.” His voice lost all it’s joy, turning into a stone cold test proctor. “No one peak at your tests, be sure to have a 2b pencil, sharpener, and eraser out on your desk.” He pushes up his yellow sunglasses. “Teachers will be roaming to make sure no one cheats.”

He smiles getting his vigor back, “ARE YOU READY TO RUUUUUMBLE?” he booms his voice, making the test room shake slightly. Akira agonizes, regretting sitting so close to the teacher. “Ok! your time begins NOW!” he waved his hand and a large TV screen behind him lights up with a timer. Displaying 59:59, and slowly counting down.   
  
Everyone flips their tests over. For the next hour, the sounds of pencils scratching answers onto a paper fill the air. The questions for the most part are basic knowledge. If you passed middle school you can answer these questions confidently. It’s the last five questions that are trickier.   
  
_What kind of hero do you want to be?_ _  
__  
__Why does UA need you as a student?_ _  
__  
__In your words, what are your biggest flaws and strengths?_ _  
__  
__Who is your favorite hero, and why?_ _  
__  
__If you aren’t able to make it into the hero course, what would you instead choose to do?_  
  


* * *

  
Up in the cold, darkness of the back. Minato reads the questions carefully. He figured UA of all places would have these kinds of questions. His hands on autopilot tap at the paper while he thinks of his answers. In thought, he leans on his left arm and uses it to push his heavy fringe to the side. With both eyes out it’s easier to think.

The answer to this question isn't something he sits on for very long. He already knows how he wants to use his abilities. _ ‘I want to be a hero that protects people. That acts to keep them safe from danger.’ _

On the next line he decides to be brutally honest. With questions like these, honesty will more often than not get you brownie points and sympathy. _ ‘UA doesn’t need me, but I need it,’ _ he writes; it’s the cold hard truth.

He stiffens at the flaws and strengths. Yeah he has a lot of flaws, but what are his strengths?  _ ‘I’m not a social person. People get mad often, because they don’t understand me and my silence causes misunderstandings. I could care less about my impression on others and I don’t take the time to consider their feelings. My strength lies in my quirk, and that I’m tough.’ _

Lips lift in the faintest smile, memories of a simpler time playing in the background. He remembers coming to UA to watch his older brother compete at the sports festival three years in a row. _ ‘My favorite hero is my older brother. He just graduated from UA and is attending a hero college. His focus is people and family and is always working on improving himself as a person. It’s something I really respect.’ _

Now on the last fill in the blank he wonders about the question. Is this a trick? Aimed to weed out those who already have a back up plan. To be real, he doesn't have a plan B. His plan is to become a hero to keep certain idiots safe.  _ ‘If I don’t make it into the hero course I can always attend another school. I’ll be apart from my brothers but they’ll understand. I won’t settle for anything else.’  _ This should show that he's planned ahead but won't budge on the end result.

He smiles as he flips the test over, done early. He stretches and leans back in his seat. He starts counting ceiling tiles, looks like there’s a few minutes left to the test.

  
  


* * *

Over with Yu, he coolly breezes through the test. Answering with confidence and gusto. 

With nothing slowing his momentum, he answers the five questions.  _ ‘I am going to be a hero that fights villains! I want to stop those who do harm to others with my own fists. That’s the best way to keep people safe and to help them as a hero.’  _ he smiles as he can see it now. Duking it out with some big villain. __

His smile widens and he moves to the next question. The answer is so obvious that he just writes exactly what runs through his head.  _ ‘UA needs me. Not only am I great to work with, but I am a good student and learn quickly. Simply speaking, you will be missing out on a great partnership.’  _ Now that's a good answer, he compliments himself.

His pencil scratches away as he answers the next line.  _ ‘My flaws consist of: being too excited, charging in without a plan, and no risk management whatsoever.’ _ He nods to himself,  _ ‘My strengths are: getting along with others, confidence, strength, and an unbreakable will.’  _ Yu has to stop himself from laughing out loud. Even his flaws, in the right light, can be seen as good things.

Satisfied, this test is far too easy for the likes of him. The bowl cut goes to start writing about his favorite hero.  _ ‘I like so many heroes it’s hard to choose just one. They all have their own reasons for wanting to help and fight for others. Picking one hero is like saying one is better than the rest. To me, all heroes are my favorite, simply because they are out there making the world a better place!’ _

He pauses on the last question, it causes him to falter. What would he do? He’s always been a good cook, but would he actually pursue a career as a chef? This is confusing for him. He puts his pencil down, steeples his hands, and glares at his test from his arm church. He sits there glaring at his test, deep in thought, right up to the buzzer going off.   
  


* * *

With Akira, he takes his time being thorough, making sure to double check all his answers. Once satisfied, he gets to the trickier self evaluation questions. He is the type of test taker that scans through the test as a whole to know how long he should take on each question. He bounces his eraser on the table quietly as he thinks about the answer to the first question.   
  
While staring at the ceiling, exactly what to write came to him. Flipping the pencil over, he begins writing _‘I want to be a hero that helps people. I want to make sure everyone is safe and happy. The type of hero that weeds out small time criminals before they become major threats.’_ he nods to himself. That answer is as good as it’ll get.  
  
He keeps writing, _‘UA needs me because…’_ he trails off. He thinks of the best way to put it. _‘UA needs me because not only do I have a strong quirk, but I will be a hard worker.’_ he hopes that’s enough. It seems really basic, but he doubts these are worth a lot of points.  


He takes a deep breath while writing. Picking what flaws and strengths to share on paper is hard. On one hand, he could be brutally honest and tear himself a new one which might impress a few. Or he could only make himself look good by focusing on his strengths. He silently puffs the air in his lungs, I'm going to just cherry pick the good ones, he tells himself.  _ ‘I am very shy, and want to break out of my shell. I also get nervous when talking to people. However, my quirk is a helpful one. I’m fast and can fly.’ _ The fluffy black haired boy tries to think of a better way to finalize the statement, but decides not to overcomplicate it.

At the next question, he pushes up his glasses. This question is pretty open ended. Leaving room for him to talk about whomever he wants.  _ ‘My favorite hero is Robin Hood! He might be from a children’s book and not a real person, but he’s the kind of hero I want to be. He steals from the rich and gives to the poor. He’s a neerdowell who is out to make everyone equal. His actions, despite being vigilantism, are altruistic and I find it inspiring.’ _ He sends a nervous plea to whoever might be listening, please don't let talking about a vigilante doc him any points he might need.

At the last question, after reading it he glances up at the timer. He's only got a few minutes! He starts writing quickly, wanting to make time.  _ ‘If I don’t make it into the hero course then I would work towards learning how to assist heroes in any way possible.’ _ is his short answer due to the buzzer's impeccable timing.

* * *

  
  
Present Mic shoots up, “That’s TIME!” The teacher claps his hands with vigor. “Alright pencils down, and start passing your tests to the front, I hope you all signed your names!” He sing-songs. “Now that the written portion is out of the way, we’re going to take a short break. You all have 20 minutes to get up and stretch. Don’t wander too far, because we’re going to go over the practical exam!” He grins ear to ear, almost splitting his face from glee. 

Akira gets up, glad he made it in the nick of time. He turns around to convene with his brothers. He waits for Yu to exit the aisle he's in. Yu moves slowly, it's obvious to Akira that his big brother didn't finish the test. It's not the first time he has witnessed such a look. The tallest Arikuyo slinks up to the youngest. Akira grabs his sleeve and drags the zombie up to Minato. Akira vibes up next to Minato.

"How'd it go for you?" He is just relieved the written part is done.

"Fine." Minato takes one glance at Yu. He knows that the big lug didn't get everything in, what's new? "The written test doesn't mean much. It's the practical you have to focus on," he states. Knowing that is enough to get him to cheer up. 

Yu perks up, "yeah you're right! The practical will be my time to shine. I'm getting pretty fired up," he says genuinely. 

Akira smiles at Minato, knowing he did that to cheer up Yu. "Maybe we should go walk around and get some water? Sitting for an hour made me so stiff." The three agree and go take their water break. Enjoying the sights the school has to offer.

Just like that, 20 minutes pass in no time at all. The brothers head back early and decide they will sit next to each other in the back. Yu is practically vibrating in his seat while Akira keeps taking his glasses on and off. Minato listens to his music until Present Mic gets back on the podium.

The lights go dark, and a spotlight lands solely on Present Mic. This is clearly his bread and butter. “Welcome back, did you all have a great break???” he waits, like he was expecting some kind of reply. The crowd remained silent. “...Are you all ready for the practical exam!? It’s going to be EXCITING!” he shouts with his quirk. Akira has to cover his ears from the extreme volumes of the parakeet man.   
  
“My Examinees Listen! I’m now presenting to you the guidelines of your practical! Open your ears and tune in your eyes!” He strikes a pose, pointing to the heavens. As his finger reaches its zenith, the man squeals in delight “YEAH!” the crowd doesn’t seem to get any extra fired up from this.   
  
However, on cue the large screen behind him lights up. On it shows ‘current location’ inside a neat little box, with the letters A to G stemming from it. “This is how the test will go, you will be experiencing ten minute long ‘mock cityscape maneuvers’!! Bring along anything and everything you think you’ll need. When this presentation is over you will all be assigned to a random test location. This is to keep the odds fair and prevent pre-planned team ups!”   
  
The man pauses, catching his breath. How he said that all in one go is a mystery to even Minato. Once he properly recovers, he goes right back to shouting, “YEAH!” He pumps his fists up. “Each site will be filled to the brim with _faux villains_. In total, there’s three you can potentially face! They all have their own respective levels of difficulty, ranging from easy level 1 to the hardest level 3.” 

On the screen, four robots show up on the screen, their specs clearly on display for the prospective students. The 1 pointer seems to be a robot on wheels with arms. The 2 pointer looks like a robot with four legs, and a scorpion tail. Then the 3 pointer seems to be a mix of the first two, seeming to be on wheels with arms and what appears to be gatling guns on its back. Then there’s the odd 0 pointer. It appears to maneuver on a tank with arm and gun attachments. It doesn’t seem that different from the 3 pointer. Didn’t he say there’s only 3 enemies?   
  


“Of course, attacking other examinees and playing the antihero during the test is prohibited and will lead to automatic failure!” He warns. He looks satisfied. Like he’s done explaining.   
  
Someone in the crowd’s hand shoots up. A boy in square glasses and a rigid posture stands up. “Sir, may I ask a question?” He begins, “You seem to have made an error in your explanation! You failed to mention the fourth faux villain shown on screen. This blatant omittance of information for such an important exam is egregious for such a prestigious school such as UA!” as if that wasn’t enough, the glasses boy whirls around, pointing back to a kid in the crowd. From where the three are sitting it’s hard to tell who exactly he’s singling out.  
  
“You’ve been muttering loudly to yourself this entire time. It’s distracting. If this is just for you to fulfill your fanboy fantasy of meeting heroes, _please leave!_ ” Snickers rain throughout the room, seems people could hear him muttering as they all take glee from the kid being picked on.  
  
Present Mic coughs into his hand, pulling the boy’s attention back to the front, “Ahem! Alright, Alright. Calm down uhhhh” He pulls up some notes and looks at a piece of paper in his hand “Examinee 7111, Good catch! However, the fourth faux villain variety will get you _absolutely no points!_ He’s meant to be an obstacle. Have you ever played video games before? Think of Super Mario Brothers, it’s kind of like a Thwomp!”

“There will only be one per test site. It’s a ‘gimmick’ in a way. It’s meant to rampage around and raise he-” He stops himself and coughs. “Raise havoc!” he recovers.   
  
The glasses boy bows into a perfect ninety degree angle. “Thank you sir, I apologize for the interruption.”   
  
Present Mic throws his hands up dramatically, “that’s all from me deer listeners!” he takes a teacherly tone, “The great hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said ‘True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life!’” He winks at them. “This is just like our infamous school motto. You all know the one!”   
  
“Let me hear you all scream it out! You know the motto, to surpass your limits, push yourself to the best you can be! To go further beyond!” This time, the entire stadium gets excited. Yu, Akira, and Minato (only slightly though) all join the hype. “And that is…” He trails off, expecting the students to join this time. To which they do.  
  
“ **PLUS ULTRA!** ” rings out through the entire room shaking the foundation. Some students even jump into the air, getting a thrill from those two words. Yu stands up, putting a foot on the table in front of him, whooping. Akira stands up, smiling and clapping. Minato pumps a singular fist in the air, that’s about as much excitement as you’ll get out of him. With an air of finality to the presentation, present mic ends with an ominous statement.

“Break a leg everyone.”   
  


* * *

At test site B, Minato steps off his bus, wading into the crowd. He takes stock of his surroundings. There’s several unique people. First off, he spots a boy with golden shimmering hair, a gaudy belt on his belly. The next person of note is a tall boy with six arms webbed together. He spots a girl with brown hair, nervously taking in deep breathes, clearly getting ready for the trial ahead. He on the other hand is just blaring his music. Not really wanting to take part in the chit chat surrounding him.   
  
He can more so feel people pointing and jeering at him rather than him see it. 

  
“He didn’t even bring a change of clothes!” Someone starts.

  
“How can he expect to run around in that middle school uniform?” A female voice asks, concerned.

  
“He probably already gave up on the exam.” Another faceless person adds.   
  
‘ _If only they knew_ ,’ Minato thinks. Appearances can be deceiving. He’s not belittling any of them. He chooses to ignore what they say, as it doesn’t pertain to him. They don’t know him just as much as he doesn’t know them. So why would he care about what they think? Once he reaches that conclusion, a commotion can be seen being started.

“Why are you here? Hoping to meddle??” A loud accusatory voice rings out. Minato turns his music down, wondering if a fight was going to break out. He really shouldn’t be paying attention, but he knows the exam is going to probably start any minute now.  
  
An _“Eep_!” rings out. Looks like the glasses boy who corrected the teacher during the presentation is singling out the same boy again.The blue fringed boy doesn’t think it’s very admirable behaviour. He wonders if he should interfere. Murmuring starts up around the two boys ahead. The surprisingly buff glasses boy puts an arm on the shorty boy, forcibly turning him around.  
  
“That kid tripped at the front gate too”

  
“No wayyy what an idiot.”

  
“This isn’t the first time he jumped from the slightest of touch.”

  
“He’s not someone we need to worry about.”  
  


Rang out the voices of his supposed peers. This type of gossiping won’t get anyone anywhere. Minato could care less, but if he can take points away from those jerks, then he will.   
  
Before the green afroed boy has a chance to respond, a loud booming voice echoes in the air.   
  
“...AND BEGIN!” clearly rings out.

While everyone is standing around, wondering if they even heard that right. Minato puts his music player and headphones in his pocket. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He has ten minutes to get as many points as he can. He feels his quirk simmering up. A familiar pang is felt in his head, the start of a headache.  
  
To the people standing around him, Minato lets off a fierce blue light. It temporarily blinds those too slow to shield their eyes. Brilliantly blue flames lick up his being, engulfing him. The sound of glass crackling and shattering can be heard. Once the sound dies out, the flames abate. There stands a transformed Minato.  
  
The boy’s clothes completely change. Now sporting large metallic, white boots and gloves. His torso and pelvis are covered in a teal metallic armor. His head covered in a bandana with a vibrant scarlet scarf covering his neck. On his back, a giant harped shaped shield is tethered to him. His new form looks like a robotic doll with marshmallow boots and gloves.

He takes a runner’s stance. ‘I’ve been practicing this,’ he reassures himself.  
  
“What’s wrong? The Test has started!”  


“RUN RUN RUN!” rings out the powerful voice of Present Mic.

  
All pandemonium breaks loose, as Minato and the crowd start running. That is...if Minato didn’t trip. Not used to his big bulky rounded feet. He hits the ground with a loud metallic clang. Not letting that get the better of him, he picks himself up, and starts stomping his way into the test site. ‘Baby steps,’ is the only thing going through his head at the moment.  
  
Despite tripping, he’s not that far behind the other test takers. They’re all running around and shouting. He can’t tell if it’s from the sudden start or just plain old excitement. He’s about to round the corner of a skyscraper, when suddenly a massive 1 pointer crashes through the concrete.   
  
_‘Guess these robots like short cuts,’_ is all Minato can think, as he grabs his shield off his back. A student way too close to the wheels of the 1 pointer screams. They’re too scared to make it out of there. Minato lobs his shield at the bot, taking a batters stance to do it.   
  
The shield smashing into the 1pointer with a satisfying crunch. It crumples and sparks, out of commission. Minato walks over and rips his shield out of it. He helps the other kid up. Without even so much as a ‘thank you;, the kid runs off to get points. Minato shakes his head, _‘This better not become a pattern.’_

Minato heads into another frey, a cluster of robots formed a circle around their prey. The people in the middle are too panicked to defend themselves. Minato looks at the bots, three 1 pointers and two 3 pointers. The 3 pointers cock their guns. Making a split second decision, Minato throws his shield once again. It slams into the ground. Splitting it and disrupting the 3 pointers. The shield also does its god made purpose by stopping their rubber gunfire as well. He uses the distraction to go up behind the other three 1 pointers and he presses their deactivation switches. Luckily, this test is more than just a brute strength one.  
  
During the pure chaos, a laser beam pierces one of the felled 3 pointers. It was that sparkling blonde he spotted at the start. Minato nods at him, and the twinkling boy winked back. Minato disables the 3 pointer by pressing the button on it’s back as well.   
  
He picks up his shield. _‘If only it bounced back like in the comics.’_ he laments. _‘I have seven points so fa-’_ his internal thoughts are cut off as he’s plowed in from behind. A hollow sound reverberates from his metal form. He’s sent tumbling in a messy pinwheel. This leaves him dizzy for a moment, _‘that’s what i get for letting my guard down.’_ _  
_  
“Sorry about that man! Are you ok???” He’s hoisted up by strong arms. The person that bowled him over apologizes sincerely. His red eyes roam over his form. “Woah there’s not a scratch on you! Are you a defense type too?” The spiky red head grins, showing his pearly row of sharp shark teeth.  
  
Minato silently nods and dusts himself off. The redhead smiles at him. Minato pulls out his harp and with speed it looks like he is about to retaliate against the red head. 

“Wait wait wait! I said sorry!” He covers his head to protect himself. The harp crunches. Minato smashed a 1 pointer that came up to attack the spiky ripped kid.

“I am.” Minato mumbles, answering the question asked earlier.    


Red stares at blue. “That was so cool! Thanks for the save.” He takes a deep breath. “I thought you were going to hit me with that thing.” He laughs, like that’s somehow funny. “Well, see ya! I hope to see you around man, that save was totally badass!” He waves and runs off. Activating his quirk along the way. He rams into a 2 pointer with his shoulder. It crumples under the raw strength of his quirk.

_ ‘There really are all kinds of people.’  _

Minato uses his time to the best of his abilities. He’s using his harp as a weapon and manages to smash through several bots. Breathing heavily, Minato wonders how long it’s been. He can tell it’s been a while, because of the sledgehammer going off in his head. It has to be almost ten minutes.   
  
Before he has a chance to rub his head or take a small break, the small broccolini kid comes into view. A 1 pointer is charging him and he doesn’t make an effort to dodge it. ‘ _This looks so familiar_ ,’ Minato thinks as he remembers the start of the practical. He wields his shield in front of him, like how a SWAT policeman gets ready to charge someone. He runs at the robot and rams into the 1 pointer. Stopping it, and protecting the boy.

That kid...didn’t even talk when the glasses guy singled him out. Not once, but twice. How can he be a hero, let alone a functioning human being if he doesn’t stand up for himself? Minato sees the panic in the green eyes he helped.

  
“What are you doing just standing around? If you can’t use your quirk why are you here?” Harsh, he knows. But maybe it’ll help snap the guy out of it. He looks back at the robot, and starts bashing his shield into the bot, repeatedly. Smashing the thing to pieces. His headache feels only slightly alleviated.  
  
He turns around to say more, but the sweet saccharine voice of Present Mic rings out.

  
“ **Six minutes, and two seconds remaining**!” 

  
He’s really starting to dislike that grating voice.

The green track suit wearing boy turns around and runs off.  _ ‘He’s not getting anywhere like this. He really shouldn’t be here.’ _ Minato passes his verdict. He’s not thinking it to be mean, he’s just worried. He doesn’t want someone who’s so small and fragile looking to be hurt. The kid, who’s the same age as him, looks like a harsh breeze would knock him over.

Time ticks and Minato doesn’t see any familiar faces anymore. He doesn’t see rude glasses, timid green, sparkle twinkle, or spiky. He runs into the brown haired girl who he saw meditating earlier. She looks as sick as he feels. She’s showing signs of dizziness and keeps her hand to her mouth. Hopefully she doesn’t puke. It’s only been six minutes into the test at this point. Holding his transformation is taking a lot out of him. The more his headache grows, the more the need to bash bots outweighs the need to protect unguarded people.  
  
“Huff-tw-cough.” the brown haired girl mumbles to herself, obviously nauseous and exhausted. She wheezes a few more times, “twenty-eight points…” she manages.   
  
Her statement makes him ask himself, what is his score at now? He stopped counting when he pressed the button of his tenth faux villain. It was too much work to have a running count. 

Throughout the test ground, an explosion shakes the ground. It crunches the air and the people nearest to it feel their entire beings seize up. Up ahead in the distance. The zero pointer looms. This captures his, and everyone within a 30 mile radius’ attention. The sound that ushered the harbinger made Minato feel like he was struck by a truck. Seeing it is another story.   
  
_‘No one said it’d be this large!!!’_ Minato cringes. He’s running out of time. He can’t stay transformed much longer, and now **this!?** He figures now is a good time for a break, he’s already done enough. As he turns to find a place to rest, his vision swims from the motion. He can’t hold his transformation for much longer. He holds his head and uses the nearby building to steady himself.

He can hear people panicking and shouting. He opens his eyes and pears into the crowd. In the warbling mass of shapes, he makes out a green blob. The crowd carefully comes into focus as he squints, doing his best to get his sight back. People run past a fallen boy, someone who is so startled by the behemoth all they can do is tremble and stare. A boy he recognizes as the green haired one he reprimanded earlier in the exam.   
  
“What is he doing??” He rhetorically asks himself. He watches as that so-called ‘upstanding better then thou’ buff glasses boy, the same one that was so focused on correcting Present Mic and calling the downed boy out, takes one glance at the distressed boy and runs past him. Abandoning someone who needed a hand. He’s so pissed. Beyond angry. All that huffing and puffing, jeering, and prim and proper act, amounting to that. How can he say he wants to be a hero? Shameful.  
  
He goes to help the idiot up and get him out of there when he hears a high pitched voice yelp.  
  
“Ow!” A girl, the brown haired girl with twenty-eight points is stuck under rubble. And that giant Thwomp isn’t stopping or detouring.

_‘What kind of school puts kids through this?!’_ he demands as he goes over to try and dig the girl out. His head screams at him to just drop the form and take a nap, but he knows he can’t leave the girl there. Fighting off his migraine, double vision, and vertigo, he trudges to the girl, visibly shaking. Unsure of the damage to her pinned leg, but knowing a broken bone or two is better than being crushed, he tries to lift the rubble.  
  
“Y-You don’t have to help me, I’m fine!” The girl squeaks. The rocks don’t budge. The debris stemming from the damaged buildings is interlocking with itself. Making it not easy to shift or push off. 

“Are you stupid?” Minato snaps at her, she flinches from his harsh tone. His head feels like it’s splitting in half, it’s a wonder why he hasn’t just passed out. “If you are as ‘fine’ as you say then why aren’t you using that float quirk I saw earlier to get yourself out?” he demands.  
  
He pulls out his harp, and shakily starts banging at the rubble. Each time he hits the rocks to break them up, it’s like he’s hit himself. The vibrations travel up his metal form. At the beginning of the test he could easily ignore the vibrations but now they just make him sick. He falls to his knees, dry heaving. He looks over to see how close the zero pointer is.

It’s practically on them at this point. Dread colors Minato’s face. _‘Can I get her out in time?_ ’ runs through his head. He...doesn’t know anymore.   
  
“I said it’s ok, I’ll get myself out when my quirk recovers.” She reassures. He doubts the brunette’s words. He plants himself on the ground right next to her. “What are you doing?!? You’re in danger!” She speaks, ignoring her own peril.  
  
“I’m waiting.” Is all he can say, as the rumble of the robot steadily advances on them. Behind them, the concrete crackles, and erupts. He whips his head around, is it another test machine? But nothing was there.   
  
“What’s that?!?” The girl grabs him and points up. Their gazes follow her pointer finger. High in the sky a green blur soars through the sky. Is that...a person? Minato is kind of stunned. Were there any flyers in the exam? He never saw anyone in the skies. There was also the concrete that shattered behind them. Wasn’t that where the one guy was still sitting, frozen in fear?

His mind slowly puts two and two together. Figuring out what’s going on. That boy in the green tracksuit jumped, and is now hurtling towards the zero pointer at an insane speed.   
  
**“SMAAAAAAASH!”**

Echoing in the sky, was that green haired boy’s war cry. The zero pointer is utterly obliterated in one punch. Minato and the brunette stare in utter awe. He stopped it. He saved them both. The boy he wrote off earlier, just saved his and the girl’s life. Yes, he’s willing to admit that he couldn’t run away in his state.   
  
The boy seems to hover in place for a moment, before he begins his descent. There’s something wrong with his legs and arm...is it him or do they look like..jelly. In a flash, Minato is hit with a cold realization. This guy is like Yu...too strong for his own good. He bashes the rubble.   
  
“We have to help him!” The girl starts, she turns her body and touches the rubble, making it lift up. Minato drags her out. The boy in the sky is increasing in speed. The girls turns to minato, giving him a determined look. “You’re strong right??? Throw me, now!”   
  
She pats herself, a glow taking over her, she’s now weightless too. He grabs her arm and throws her with all the might his form will allow. Like a strange arrow, the girl heads at the screaming boy. There’s tears in his eyes from his free fall, and Minato figures it might also be because he’s coming to terms with his mortality.   
  
The strange tag team paid off. The girl smacks the boy right in the face. The slap is the only thing Minato can hear as the two float in the sky. The girl is a strange color of green, purple, and yellow. She pyramids her hands, each finger tip pressing into its twin. The two hit the ground with a dull thud. Once on the ground the girl hobbles to the side and immediately starts vomiting out everything in her gut. Minato looks away, grossed out.  
  
The green haired kid has tears in his eyes, as he starts trying to crawl with his one limb.   
  
“Thank goodness you t-two are okay….” He holds his shoulder, looking at minato and the floaty girl. From what Minato picks up, the kid's voice is weak from pain. He puts his fist to the ground, “O-One point…” he mumbles to himself as he begins to drag himself with his one good arm. He’s sobbing fat tears as he pulls himself. 

The bluenette’s form falls, blue flames eating away at his metallic armor and devouring his shield. Pain still lances through his head, however it is far more tolerable now that he’s not keeping up his transformation. He staggers up and stumbles over to the crippled boy. He pulls him up and carries him on his back. It’s not the best idea to move someone with shattered limbs like this...but he can’t give up on this person.  
  
“What’s...your name?” He asks the boy, dying to know the name of the hero that saved him.  
  
The kid can barely keep his eyes open. “I-Izu...ku.” He chokes out.  
  
Minato walks with him on his back, taking slow steps. “Let’s get you some points.” He states with finality. He won’t let this guy fail this exam. Izuku...is someone that has to make it into the hero course. He ignores how wet the nape of his neck gets, while looking around the battle zone. _‘What a ridiculously overpowered quirk’_ he thinks. “Izuku...thanks.” he adds, wanting to say so much more to his savour...his hero. However his words failed him here, as they always seem to.

He saw izuku’s fear earlier, but despite the fear, Izuku still rushed at the zero pointer to help him and the pinned gravity girl. There was nothing to gain from it, except maybe their gratitude. Izuku acted exactly like...All Might. Swooping in and defeating the enemy swiftly and decisively. It was really cool. He can’t let him down, he has to find a way to get izuku some points, Minato resolves.

**“IT IS ALLLLLLLLLLL OVER!”** **  
****  
** For a moment, the voice doesn’t register to the boy with the curtain fringe. Izuku flinches on Minato’s back and goes limp. Minato figured the pain and announcement overwhelmed him and he finally passed out. Minato feels anguish as he falls to his knees. There’s...no way Izuku passed the practical with no points. He gently sets Izuku down onto the ground, and sits next to him. Mind for once blank except, _‘I really do hate that voice.’_

He sits by a passed out Izuku. Waiting. People are surrounding them and talking but Minato ignores it. He puts his headphones on. Blaring his music, he pets Izuku’s head, the only semblance of comfort he is capable of offering.

* * *

  
  
Making their way through the students is a little old lady. She uses a medical instrument as a cane. Her thinning hair is pulled into a tight bun, with a syringe needle pressed into the bun like a chopstick, keeping it perfectly wound. She is probably only three feet tall, and has a visor protesting her eyes. To onlookers, this woman is the famous youthful heroine Recovery Girl.  
  
Even in her old age, she hasn’t retired. Working at UA as a nursing instructor. She hobbles over to Minato and Izuku. 

The back bone of UA tuts. “Poor boy...Your own beloved quirk did this to you…” She stops smiling, her wrinkled darling face taking a concerned look. “Looks like your body isn’t tempered for it yet.” She leans forward, puckering her lips, they take a sheen as she wets them with her tongue. “Gimmie some sugar.” she coos, as glossy lips stretch to plant a hot wet one right on the passed out Izuku’s head.   
  
“Old lady!” Echoes through the crowd as everyone is shocked the school nurse kissed the power house, and in such a strange manner. Izuku’s body takes on a green glow. As his pulverized arm and legs twist back into place.   
  
“You’re watching the school nurse in action,” The twinkling blonde boy from earlier begins. “She’s the only reason UA can hold such crazy exams in the first place.” he fluffs his flamboyant hair and poses himself by crossing his arm, looking like a french prince from those 90’s anime Minato watched with Yu. “This is the forever young, beautiful heroine Recovery Girl.” The boy winks, a sparkle coming from it. One almost wonders if he carries glitter around just for these moments.   
  
Recovery Girl turns on Minato, he takes one look at her, and tries to run. He doesn’t want some random old lady smooching him! As soon as he turns to make his great escape, a hand grabs his shoulder. It was the surprisingly strong grip of said old heroine. “Now now, you need some attention too my dear. Your pupils are horribly dilated.” Was that...an insult? Her lips stretch as she kisses him right on the cheek. A loud and cutesy ‘chu’.   
  
Shivers run through Minato, as he’s thoroughly grossed out. He feels a cooling and soothing sensation fall over him as his headache is practically erased. Recovery Girl turns his hand over, and puts some haribo gummy bears in his hand. “Here, some candy. It’ll make you feel better honey.” she winks at him.   
  
Despite not liking the smooch, he closes his hand on the gummies. If she’s handing him candy, who is he to turn away such sweet treats. Suddenly a warm tiredness envelopes him. He is so tired sleeping for an entire week sounds so nice right now. He has things to do and brothers to grab.   
  
He gulps the gummies down, chewing on them. The burst of fruity flavors distract him from his exhaustion. He turns to a passed out Izuku, picks him back up, putting him on the same perch as before. He carries Izuku piggy back to the nurses office.  
  
On his way out of the testing sight, he’s joined by the brown haired girl from before. Now that he doesn't have a symphony of pain playing in his head, he can take a better look at her. She's a bit disheveled from previous events, her tracksuit has soot, and he can see her ankles supporting her weight fine. Her brown hair curls around her, in a cute bob and face framing bangs. The hair gives her a cute and round appearance, complimenting her eyes perfectly. ‘Her eyes are just as round as Izuku’s.’ he compares.

She looks at Minato holding Izuku. “Are you taking him to the infirmary?” She inquires, looking nervous to be asking.  
  
He shuffles Izuku around, and nods at her. She smiles. “Really? Can I join you actually?” She puts her hands on her shirt and grips at it. “I..I want to thank him when he wakes up.” She looks to the side “Do you think..uhm…” she worries at her bottom lip, clearly not sure about what she was about to say. “I was going to ask staff if they can give him some of my points. Do you think they’ll do that?”   
  
He stares at her. That’s a good idea. He wonders if he can give his points too? “...I don’t see why not.” He feels comfortable talking to her. Normally words catch in his throat and they can’t leave. The only time that’s not the case is when he’s talking to Yu and Akira...or when he’s saying hurtful poisonous things.   
  
The girls almost squeals in delight. “Let’s drop him off together then!” She comes up besides him. “Do you want me to use my quirk to lighten him up for you? To make it easier to carry him?” She is already ready to help. “Actually, I don’t know your name. My name is Ochako Uraraka! And yours?”   
  
This is a lot of attention for him. He’s not used to talking so much to someone who isn’t one of his twins. “I’m...Minato Arikuyo.” He blushes faintly. “Can you make him lighter?” he mutters out.  
  
Uraraka beams. “Yeah! It’s nice to meet you Arikuyo.” she taps Izuku, and he slightly lifts off Minato. Minato adjusts so he squeezes Izuku’s legs so he doesn’t fly away. Minato looks at her.  
  
“I...please call me Minato.” It’s too much work for Minato to explain that he has two brothers..and that it’ll be really confusing once they’re all in class together. Minato knows for certain they’ve all made it into the hero class.   
  
Uraraka blushes “Y-Your first name? Isn’t that kind of soon? I mean you were helping me.” She starts rambling “We just met, but it feels nice to know I’ll have a close friend after this. Besides I do like the name Minato, and we’ll probably end up in the same class. It’d be weird if we weren’t close after passing the practical together. We also made a good team at the end there.” She puts her hands on her face, blushing from joy. This causes her to start floating.  
  
“Oy!” Minato looks around for something to grab her with. He jumps up, grabbing her, but inadvertently this makes Izuku on his back swing around and almost fall off. He’s now desperately clinging to both of them. “Ochako stop your quirk!” He lets slip out, already using her first name. Feeling that she will be his first UA friend next to Izuku. 

As if it was possible, Uraraka turns even redder. “Eeep, hearing my first name, it’s way cuter than ‘Uraraka’” she seems really embarrassed but pleased to have made a friend so fast. She closes her eyes and puts her hands together, making Izuku and her fall to the ground, Minato twists his body to an almost impossible angle to not drop the sleeping greenette onto the ground.   
  
She is still pink, “ehehe...sorry about that. I am overjoyed to be friends with you.” A warmth envelopes Minato, her joy infecting him. He smiles at her, and bounces Izuku back into a comfortable position to carry him in.   
  
They make their way to the infirmary, with Ochako doing all the talking. She’s a very energetic and animated girl. Miming out what she was saying while talking a mile a minute. Turns out, Ochako wants to make money to support her family. It’s not a bad goal. She also seems fit for the hero work. Minato recalls how she was able to wipe the floor with robots and she also managed to save Izuku from becoming modern art on the concrete.

Izuku is carefully tucked into one of the beds in the nurse office. Minato checks his phone, sixty-seven message notifications on his phone. Probably all from Akira, he closes his phone without checking the messages. He pulls out a piece of paper and writes his phone number on it, and slides it onto Izuku’s forehead, when he wakes up he can’t miss it.  
  
Ochako grins ear to ear, the smile perfectly natural on her face. “Oh phone numbers! That’s a good idea.” She writes her phone number down too, and puts it in the same place on Izuku’s forehead. She snickers, holding back a laugh, Minato has a bizarre sense of humor, putting that on his head and not on the side table or in one of his pockets. “Let’s exchange numbers too! We can tell eachother our results when we get them.” she pulls out her phone and opens contacts, making a new one ‘Minato A.’ typed out. She hands the phone to Minato who fills it out promptly. She sends him a gif of a waving potato, it being the most recent on her messaging app. Minato taps at his phone, entering the new contact onto his device.  
  
Satisfied, Ochako bows to him, “Minato, I’m going to go talk to the staff! It was really nice meeting you, and thank you for not leaving me in the rubble.” She rushes out. “Truth was...I was really scared. But you being there was really comforting. So thanks.” She waves as she heads out, looking for staff.  
  
Minato finally checks his messages. Most of them consist of pictures of Akira’s face asking him ‘where u at’. The photos are hilarious. He sends them a reply.  
  
_‘In infirmary, new friend passed out.’_ He hits sends, and his phone immediately starts vibrating.  
  
_‘You made a friend? An actual genuine friend? How’d you convince them to put up with you? - Yu’_ Was Yu’s immediate text. He usually doesn’t text anyone, but when he does it’s like an old man’s. Proper punctuations and even including his name at the end, like an email.   
  
_‘No waaaaaaaayyyyyy’_ followed by a slew of mind blown emojis and shocked emojis.  
  
_‘Well I made two friends actually.’_ He adds, wanting to stir them up a little bit.  
  
To make it even better, he closes his phone. Putting it on silent and ignoring them. He starts looking for staff too. He better talk to them and then find his two idiots. As he leaves, he takes one look back at Izuku. _‘I’m getting you into the hero course if it’s the last thing I do.’_ he silently vows.  
  
He stolls the halls of the school, it’s large. Using the signs, he makes his way to the teacher’s lounge. He knocks lightly at the door. He hears a chair creek and some wheel roll. Sounds of someone getting up. The Instructor Present Mic opens the door.  
  
“Another one?” he asks the air. He looks down at Minato. “Hello there, can I help you? Are you lost…? Perhaps...you’re my fan!?” He gets excited. “Oooh but I’m sorry, I can’t sign an autograph for any of the examinees.”   
  
Minato really can’t stand this voice. He looks to the side, taking a deep breath. Reminding himself to be patient and calm. “Sir.” He starts. And he looks to hold eye contact with the parakeet man.  
  
Present Mic sobers up, “It’s about that one examinee from test sight B right?” He gives a warm, understanding smile. “Listen, just like I told the girl from before, everything is going to be okay.” He winks at him and ruffles Minato’s blue fringe.  
  
Minato pushes his hand off and goes to smooth his hair, he glowers at the man who remains unfazed. “I want to give him my points.” Is all he states.  
  
Eraser Mic smiles, and leans back. Pocketing his hands “Unfortunately, that’s not possible.”   
  


Minato prepares to argue.  
  
“Because.” there’s a because? Minato pauses. Wanting to hear what he had to say. “That boy already has enough points.” he concludes.  
  
Minato pulls a blank. “He does?” he asks, too shocked. _‘I thought he had no points? Was the zero pointer actually worth a lot of points? Was there a part of the exam that earned you special points?_ ’ Many thoughts shoot through his head as Present Mic starts stepping back into the teacher lounge.  
  
“He’s been taken care of, look forward to your results, yours are something else.” He looks minato up and down impressed. “You’ll be getting the results back in a week. Tell your brothers I said hi.” with that he closed the door.  
  
Being left with even more questions than answers, Minato decides he’s just gonna go home and sleep. He’ll just have to wait and see what this teacher was talking about. He sends his brothers a message to meet him at the gate. They’re going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've received a lot of wonderful help with this AU. I would like to personally thank Annavanpie, Kentario, Mezmo, KingJackson10101010, and Sata Nael for their edits, feedback, and general encouragement!!! This fic wouldn't exist at all without them.


	2. Lesson 2: U-A Hero Exam Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, We saw how Minato and Izuku's exam went. Now we get to see how Akira, Yu, and Bakugo's goes!

Earlier in the day, Yu boarded a bus heading to exam site A. He stared out the window, grin never falling. The bus stops and the driver opens the doors. People begin filing out.  
  
Yu hops off, radiating energy. He’s fired up and ready to go. He wastes no time transforming, activating his quirk.   
  
Yu is engulfed in a yellow light. He glows and grows five more inches in height, thanks to his knife geita. The static of a blank tv and small sparks come from yellow flames that begin at his feet and work their way up his lithe form. The Examinees near him take a step back, surprised to see such a flashy quirk being activated so soon.  
  
“Hey man watch it!” someone admonishes the transforming boy.  
  
“I wonder what his quirk is doing?” Someone else asked, curious.  
  
“Whatever it’s doing it can’t be that good, he’s scorching the ground.”  
  
The flames ebb, Yu waves his arm in front of him, blowing the flames out with a mighty swing. What stands before the examinees have them in awe. Yu was a tall but unassuming individual. His gray eyes are replaced by glowing, citron eyes. He’s sporting a white leather headband with two long leather ribbons streaming all the way to the ground, pooling at his feet. His middle school uniform is replaced by a long leather jacket. It’s got a biker motif and seems to blend into his gloves, making his shoulder to arms look seamless. The inner lining of his coat is a striking red, standing out against his warm gray jacket, boots, and pants.

Before he towered at almost six feet, but now he can easily be mistaken for seven feet. He twirls his arm, yellow flames wrap around his arm like a smaug. When he fully extends his arm the yellow mass congeals. Condensing into the shape of a long knife. To those who study weapons, they can tell it’s a modified solid metal naginata. However, no one there knows what a naginata is, that includes the titular summoner himself.  
  
Yu overall, is impressive to look at. Power and authority radiates off him in spades. He pockets his glasses, showing just how piercing his eyes really are. Several female test takers look stunned at his shift. The guy test takers are unnerved.   
  
‘He’s going to steal all the points!’ The guys all think.  
  
Yu looks at all them, smiling “Those points are mine.” He unknowingly confirms to the crowd.   
  
“Haaaaah?” Was all Yu heard as a challenger approached from behind. He steps, turning around. His shoes cleave the ground as he turns, he’s not bothering to show restraint. “Did I hear you right?” The one from the gate approaches him.  
  
Yu remembers him, he’s Bakugou from the sludge incident! He can remember rumors really easily. “You heard right, I’ll be taking all the points.”  
  
“You can’t be serious. You’re dreaming, Chrome-Dome.” Bakugou leans back, he’s slouched with hands in his baggy pockets. “Although, you’ll be better than the other extras of this test. You at least smell strong.” Bakugou was hoping he’d run into someone at least somewhat interesting.  
  
“You smell like caramel.” Yu leans over, sniffing him. This...throws the entire crowd off. The Bakugou from the villain attack was...getting an attitude from this no name. Yu smiles at him, not knowing how close Bakugou's rage meter is to skyrocketing. “By the way, a lot of the people here were talking about you behind your back about some kind of sludge incident, what was that? Were you attacked by a villain?”  
  
The crowd recoils, they give the two an ample birth. Avoiding as much of the crossfire as they can. Bakugou's eyes are pulled into his fringe. They take a shadowed look, hiding them from Yu, who is gazing down at the sweet smelling boy. Several tick marks appear on Bakugou as he trembles from insane amounts of rage.   
  
Yu misunderstands, well it’s more like he doesn’t bother to understand the bomb of a boy. “Oh was it scary? Sorry about that, you don’t have to answer,” he says, coming off as condescending.   
  
To Bakugou, this statement stings like salt in a wound. Like a paper cut under a fingernail. He jumps up, bloodlust radiating off him. “Listen here you _piss eyed delinquent wannabe_ , Pick a god and pray, because you’re _dead_.” Is all he says, he holds his hands up, sparks chasing each other's tails in a deadly and delightful display.  
  
“I don’t have piss in my e-” Yu can’t even finish the statement, the fight is abruptly brought to an end before it even has a chance to start.

“...And begin!” Rings out from the tall podium. The crowd at the test site all look at eachother, it didn’t sound like a whisper but can’t believe they heard that right.  
  
However Bakugou and Yu both spring into action. Argument forgotten as they fly to the test sight. In their wake, the ground shatters apart from the force of their strides. For Yu, he just has to run and it shatters the ground beneath him. Bakugou is using his nitroglycerin like sweat to propel himself forward like a NASA rocket about to break through the stratosphere.   
  
The two are long gone, only taking seconds to leave the sight of the crowd. Perhaps these examinees really are just extras compared to the might of Yu and the speed of Bakugou.  
  
“What’s wrong? The Test has started!”  
“RUN RUN RUN!” Present Mic’s voice echoes through the crowd.  
  
The examinees all break into a dash of their own to get into the test sight.  
  
With Yu and Bakugou, the two are ripping through the robots like they’re paper mache. Yu pierces three 1 pointers on his weapon. Mimicking a morbid kabab. They spark and explode. This isn’t enough, not yet, he jumps off the remains of some of the robots and lands on them, a deadly squat. Each foot lances through the perspective robot’s heads. The stomp kicks burying two more down into the ground, showing just how little these robots are to him. Each attack of his causes buildings to tremble and each step of his leaves small splinter craters. 

Bakugou is next to him, using his quirk with equal finesse and aggression. He’s scorching robot after robot. He pulls off graceful twists and turns never once landing on the ground. Every single Faux villain meets its end under the strawberry blonde’s acrobatic prowess. In some instances, he rips the head of a bot clean off, and lobs it using his enhanced strength to impact and blow up another bot.   
  
Bakugou screams in sheer ecstasy, “YEAH! Die Die Die!” he shouts he uses his naked hands to rip one bot in half down the middle. In a matter of seconds, Bakugou and Yu both secured eight points in one fell swoop.  
  
Yu laughs, “This is my kind of exam!” He’s so happy to be able to tear into something without any reserve. Holding back is too hard for him after all! His hands shoot out at the approaching robot; he grips the head of it and squeezes. The robot’s head crumpled, shutting down. 

For the next couple of minutes, it’s pure carnage. Bakugou and Yu cleave, rip, chop, smash, explode, kick, and punch through the robots. The way they fight….witnesses begin to feel bad for the robots. 

“Hey, this isn’t challenging enough right?” Yu asked as he kicks a 2 pointer into a building, the building crumbled on the robot forever entombing it.   
  
Bakugou leers back at him, wondering where he’s getting with this. “You’re right about that! I’m not even trying against these crappy toys.” He smiles as he puts a palm to the robot’s chassis mercilessly blowing it up.   
  
Yu grins, this guy is great! His fighting style was intuitive and carnal. Felt like his own. Yu can sense the two are kindred spirits. “Do you want to take on the zero pointer? Together? It’d be fun!”   
  
Bakugou thought about it. “No way, are you stupid? Me, work with you?!?” he shouts, more adverse to team work.  
  
“Then want to compete until it shows up? Highest scorer gets the first shot” Yu adds, he likes him more and more.

“Hmph.” Bakugou harrumphs. “You really think we’re even in the same league? I’ll wipe the floor with your snotty face and laugh while I do it!” He’s already grinning, sharp teeth quirked in what can only be seen as an expression the most depraved kind of person can make.  
  
“You’re a prickly pear aren’t you!” He laughs maniacally, too gleeful to be normal, “But that’s fine! If I don’t beat you you have full rights to do that.” 

Bakugou whirls on Yu, “What’s that you called me you Chrome-Dome???” He winds his arm back, ready to throw a punch at Yu.  
  
Yu laughs, liking his funny reactions. He also pulls a fist back, mirroring Bakugou.  
  
The two lunge at each other, fists raised; the force of their swing stirs the air around them. A swing and a...miss? The fists fly past the heads they were aimed at. Effectively plunging into metal skulls instead. Yu and Bakugou both share the same absolutely insane look.  
  
“I really can’t get along with guys like you.” Bakugou concludes, his reddish-orange eyes hotly bearing into Yu’s own electric ones.   
  
“You know,” Yu starts, “I never thought I’d like a tsundere.” The air rises by ten degrees. Bakugou is clearly pissed. He rushes off, a beautiful ark of explosions carrying him away.  
  
“We’ll meet at the zero pointer asshole! You better have your snot ready!”  
  
Yu bends his legs, the concrete appears to warp under him, as he himself explodes into a skyscraper high jump. Bakugou and Yu both hurdle to opposite ends of the fake city hoping to out point the other.  
  
The two create chaos in their wake. Entire buildings are destroyed and an endless amount of 1pointers, 2pointers, and 3pointers all lay on the ground. At some point Present Mic’s voice echoes through the land but they don’t care about what he has to say, because it didn’t contain the word’s ‘over’ or ‘done’. The two are working up a good sweat. Being just a jog in the park.  
  
Suddenly, there's a loud rumbling as a massive, larger than life robot looms into the scape. It rolls over the buildings like they’re sand castles. Yu and Bakugou take the cue, and jump/explode their way to the zero pointer. They land in front of the massive thing.  
  
“How many did you get?” Yu starts.  
  
“No I’m not saying, we’re announcing it at the count of three!” Bakugou points his finger into Yu’s chest. “I had time to think about it, and if someone says what they had first then the other one can just lie and say a number higher than that.”   
  
Yu stares at him, “Huh...you’re right!” he nods, “Rival, you really are something.” He nods sagely.  
  
Bakugou resists the urge to choke him. “...One the count of three.”

1.

2.

3!

“ **80!** ” the two cry out in unison.  
  
“What’d you just say?!?” Bakugou gets in his space. “Because I thought I heard-”  
  
“80.” Bakugou snarls at Yu’s statement. “You heard right.”  
  
Bakugou shakes his head, he never loses. There’s no way…”You...You bastard. You playing me for a fool???” He shakes yu’s collar, but before things can get too heated or personal.

The zero pointer sends them flying. The two groan, mostly annoyed they have to dust themselves off. “You...I won’t accept it. There’s no way you got the same amount as me,” He vehemently denies reality.   
  
“...Fine. I _did_ get the same amount as you, but…” Yu stomps to him, Bakugou only just now realized just how...intimidating Yu looks. He doesn’t shrink, never backing down from anyone or anything. Yu picks him up by his tank top’s scruff. “Since you seem to be a sore loser, I’ll let you get the first hit in.”   
  
It’s now the ninth out of the inning. The crowd all sits on the edge of their seats. In the golden hour, the pitcher sets up his curveball. He squares his hips, slightly bends his knees and in a fluid motion lifts a long leg up in a dramatic fashion. He twists, putting all his momentum and weight into a perfect pendulum swing. The pitcher released the odd ball.   
  
“YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!” the explosive boy screams in pure rage. Yu, done with all of Bakugou’s arguing, decided to treat him like artillery. Bakugou soars through the air like an ash-blond comet. He uses his explosions to correct his trajectory, and then uses the heat from his palms to speed himself up, He twists himself like a top, leaving a round trail of smoke in the air.  
  
Yu takes off running, he starts using the rubble to gain height. Once at the highest peak possible, he pistons his legs, crushing the ledge and spring boarding into a massive leap. He leaves an atmosphere trail behind himself, as he raises his naginata, ready to spear right through the robot with it.   
  
Bakugou's spinning body zooms towards the massive obstacle. He puts his hand out to slam it into the face of the zero pointer. Simultaneously Yu is right beside the other, thrusting his bladed weapon at the giant. Red sparks trail off the gray delinquent’s hands. The two let out a battle cry, obviously enjoying the rush of this,

  
  
**“HOWITZERRR IMPACT!!!”**

**“RAGING LIGHTNING VOLLEY!”**

A massive explosion engulfs the test sight. Blinding flashes of orange plumes and red lightning rain around the sight. Luckily, the normies in the test took one look at the zero pointer and turned tail and ran. Leaving the site void of anyone who could be caught as collateral.  
  
As the destruction clears out, the heat from the electricity and fire dying. Where the zero pointer once stood is nothing. Left in its wake, a large mile wide crater sits. In the middle of the void zone, lies two prospective students.  
  
Yu’s transformation falls off him as he sits up. “You ok Bakugou?” He asks.  
  
Bakugou sits up, sweaty, covered in soot, and a panting mess. He looks at Yu. “Never been better Chrome-Dome.” He lays back in the soft sandy debris.   
  
Yu lays back too, staring at the blue sky. His hands are shaking but he hides that from the other. “That was...so cool.” He concludes.  
  
Bakugou turns away from him. “Shut up idiot...that was nothing special.” However, if anyone gets close enough to see Bakugou’s face, he’s sporting a soft grin. It really was the raddest thing Bakugou has ever done.  
  
“My name is Yu Arikuyo, let’s be friends!” Yu smiles. He and Bakugou possess a synergy that he wants to pursue. This is the start of a beautiful bromance.  
  
“In your goddamn dreams,” or so he thought. Was Bakugou's quick reply.  
  
Yu frowns, “Hey you’re hurting my feelings,” he lies, “What is your full name?”  
  
A silence stretches between the two. Yu rolls over, staring at Bakugou's back. Did he fall asleep? Maybe all that bravado finally tuckered the tyke out? “It’s Katsuki. Bakugou Katsuki.”   
  
Yu grins. “Alright, thanks for letting me know Katsuki!” He starts.   
  
Bakugou sits up, giving him a demonic glare. Eyes flown wide and iris’ shrunk into tiny pin pricks. “Don’t call me by my first name, we’re not friends!”  
  
Yu sits up to meet his glare, but he’s only smiling jovially, he really likes getting reactions out of this guy. It’s just so easy! “But you call me Chrome-Dome, that is a sign of affection! We are friends!”  
  
Venom seeps out of the rabid chihuahua. In all of Bakugou's years, however miniscule they are, someone standing up to him didn’t compute with him. He’s never had to deal with someone who didn’t at some point just cave to his personality. “We’re not friends you stupid a-” He’s cut off.  
  
Loudly through the test area Present mic excitedly makes his announcement. **“IT IS ALLLLLLLLLLL OVER!”** **  
  
**

* * *

All the way over to test site F. The bus drops off the testees. Ready to be rid of it’s burden. It speeds off.   
  
Akira shakes from nerves as he looks around. He can’t believe he’s actually here. To keep himself from having an anxiety attack, he takes a deep breath. Can’t forget to breathe! He checks the time on his phone, welp...it hasn’t even been a minute since he was dropped off.  
  
He starts doing some light stretches, to hopefully work out the nervous energy. He goes through the exercises, one by one, carefully. He can’t afford to pull a muscle before he even starts. Unlike Minato, he’s not indestructible and unlike Yu he doesn’t possess herculean strength. He decides that he’ll go through his strengths.  
  
First of all, he knows he’s fast...He can go fast and he can fly. A determination flickers into his eyes. Being a hero isn’t just being strong or sturdy. There’s all sorts of heroes. He also remembers back to the diagrams on the robots that were handed out during the explanation. Every robot, except for the zero pointer, has kill switches. Giving people opportunities to utilize their quirks if they’re not combat oriented.   
  
The fluffy haired boy knows he will probably need somewhere around thirty points to pass. He also needs to do that in ten minutes. That would mean if he hits three 1 pointers every minute then he’d pass for sure. He pauses. He can’t get that many per minute because at some point they’ll unleash that pesky zero pointer. Something he noticed while looking at the various ways to take the pointers down, the diagrams included weak spots on the zero pointer.   
  
Why would they need to do that, didn’t Present Mic say to just ignore it? _‘Treat it like a Thwamp’_ plays in his head. Anyways, he moves on. He wonders if he goes after the 2 pointers. Then he only has to get 2 every minute...but that won’t work either! Akira scrubs at his fro. 

He shakes his head after messing his mop of a head even more. Once in the exam, he won’t be able to check to see how long it’s been. Minutes also tick by far faster to human cognition when they’re moving.   
  
_‘I’m going to have to hit the kill switch of 3 pointers...aren’t I?’_ he asks himself, in despair. This is going to be passable….he hopes. It would be embarrassing to be the only triplette to not get into UA. Yu and Minato wouldn’t let him live it down...Especially Minato. He shivers, thinking of those judgemental gray eyes. He’s roused out his musings when he hears the last thing he’d expect.

“...AND BEGIN!” clearly rings out.

He stands there blankly, as do the rest of the examinees.  
  
“Did you hear that?” comes from the crowd.

  
“Yeah….heh...sounded like Present Mic.” another pipes up.  
  
“That’s funny, because I thought the same thing.” A third reply inserts itself in.

_ ‘There’s….no way…’ _ Akira thinks.

“What’s wrong? The Test has started!” Present Mic adds.  
  
The examinees freak out. Everyone taking off into the test ground. Akira starts sprinting too. With his long legs he’s able to bound to the front easily. While sprinting he activates his quirk. 

  
“RUN RUN RUN!” Present Mic eggs them on.

Red flames lick at his feet. Red smoke rises to slowly engulf him. He’s leaving a bright, candy, cherry red trail behind him. As the transformation picks up in speed, transforming his regular uniform, it becomes much  _ harder _ for him to run.

His silent footsteps transition from ‘tmp tmp’ to a sharp, metallic ‘clink clink’. Akira begs every form of higher entity he doesn’t slow down, lest he wipe out mid transformation. The flames ever so slowly lick up Akira’s legs.   
  
Out of the brothers, Akira has the least practice out of transforming. His form is different, just thinking about it makes him turn to a shade of red that matches his transformation color. He transforms into knife sharp stilettos! He was embarrassed by the form, not even knowing the first thing about walking in heels.   
  
He’s just letting his natural sense of balance guide him through his strides. As the red flames travel up his form, hues of black and white join the fray. Coming out for the ride too. Akira can’t see it, being too focused on looking right in front of him, but he’s leaving behind a gorgeous rouge tinted path for all to see.  
  
As the ribbon of colors stretch out behind him, they weave together, forming tiny multicolored feathers. With a swift snap, like the snap of a magician performing a vanishing card trick, the plumes vanish being replaced by fully formed long wings.  
  
They fluff up, and stretch out wide, causing a lot of drag for Akira. _‘NO don’t do that!!!!_ ’ he mentally yells at his wings, as if they were sentient. The wings lower to the ground, as the rest of the transformation finishes bathing Akira. He’s yanked back, as his wings drag on the ground and get caught. He flips up, and is slammed onto his back. The air knocked out of him. _‘I really hope no one saw that.’_ is all he can think as air slowly seeps back into his lungs.   
  
With a gasp he sits up and stands. Big mistake. The young man wobbles, ankles shaking. He’s not used to standing in these...these knife shoes!! Frustrated, his wings respond to his flustered emotions. They begin to flap undignified, knocking him into the nearest building. He thuds into it lightly, and uses the wall to steady himself. He closes his eyes, there’s no one around and there’s no robots here. What’s going on?

Unbeknownst to him, while running with his eyes closed, which he really shouldn’t have been doing in the first place, he managed to zoom to the complete other side of the mock city. Covering a spread of miles in seconds.   
  
He takes stock of himself, never having seen his full transformation before now. He’s only done it once or twice to just his hands and back to admire his claws and wings. Akira previously was at an even five foot nine. However with the addition of his talons, he is now an impressive six feet tall. His previous clothes were replaced by a dark red bolero jacket and matching thigh high boots with intricate patterning, forming feather shaped ends on the fabric. He’s now sporting a white cravat, pinned in place with a red gem brooch. And a gray vest and pants combo.   
  
There’s also the wings and the claws...in place of his hands are now razor sharp talons. He’s sprouted a magnificent pair of dark brown wings that shimmer from starling gold, iridescent purple, lapis-lazuli dark blue, and a peacock green.   
  
As he moves his head to look himself over, he notices wips of shimmering blacks and reds in the corner of his eyes. Did...did his quirk transform his glasses too? He tenderly reaches up to touch the thing on his face. He feels a solid...mask. He’s got a mask.   
  
He wishes he had a mirror to see the full glory of the transformation. He’s blushing, ‘ _I’ve wasted enough time checking myself out’_ He stares at his wings. _.’can I fly with these?_ ’ they puff up. Almost like they’re saying ‘YES, FLY DAMMIT’, Akira unfortunately doesn’t speak feather. He concentrates, visualizing the wings tucking into his back. The large, but light wings snap in. settling into their seat. Akira starts running to a main road, hoping to find robots or people.   
  
The world blurs into colors and chaos while he runs, fast! He finally registers. He puts his feet back, using the sharp heels to dig into the concrete hoping they’ll act like breaks. Sparks ignite from the contact, he skids, a metallic grinding noise assaults the air.

His boots snag a chasm in the ground, causing him to flip into the air. He looks like a blur to the other test takers. Determined to master his form, his wings shoot out, being airborne makes it easier for him to attempt flight. His wings flap in an uncoordinated manner as he lands on his feet again, skidding. He just so happens to skid right under a 3pointer bot.  
  
The robot tilts down, almost like it’s looking at Akira. Both surprised to be in that position honestly. 

“As flattered as I am, normally you’d have to take me out to dinner to get this far.” He snarks, a certain someone taught him that line. The bot pinning him appears to almost blush. Akira sticks his hand up and hits the kill switch, shutting the bot down,  
  
“Did you see that???” someone asks.  
  
“He’s so..fast.” an examinee mumbles, awestruck.

  
“He’s also got wings.” a jealous voice pipes up.   
  
Akira stands up, now that he’s in front of people, he doesn’t want to embarrass himself. He steals his legs, and to his surprise he’s able to smoothly stand up without tripping. Everyone is looking at him. His jittery energy transfers to his wings, causing them to shake and flap. More and more whispers bounce around him. They’re all about him. His speed, his ‘acrobatics’, his appearance all being talked about. _‘This...isn’t so bad.’_ he thinks. He thought he’d be embarrassed but he kind of likes the attention.   
  
His stands tall, and his wings flap. _‘I have...such an urge to show off.’_ he thinks. He takes another running stance, bending over as his wings rise into the air. The more confident he feels, the better he can control his wings. Running through his head, he imagines his next course of actions.   
  
He turns to the awestruck crowd, a two finger salute finding its way to his forehead. He tips his head at them. And his wings excitedly flap, stretching open into streamlined V shape.   
  
“The show’s just getting started!” he gleefully salutes. He takes off, speeding to the nearest building. At first, onlookers thought he was just going to run into it. But no, he jumps up, and starts running on the side of the building. His heels act as an ice pick would, burrowing into the concrete building walls just enough for him to ascend up the wall.  
  
Reaching the top of the building, he uses it like a springboard. Jumping full speed he arcs gracefully into the air, his wings still out and stretched. Time seems to slow for him, as he decides where to land to slide under the most test robots.   
  
_‘I’ve got it!’_ he shouts to himself, his wings flap. It’s uncoordinated again, but gets the job done. He twirls around, and does a flip, sticking his legs out at an angle. The skidding on the ground earlier gave him a great idea on what he was going to do.   
  
His metal heels extend up his shins, giving him aerodynamic shin guards that are perfect for him to slide on the ground with. He touches down, skidding at a speed that no land vehicle can ever hope to achieve. He sticks his claws up, getting ready to push the kill buttons one after the other.   
  
A shout of joy roars its way out of the blackette’s throat, He hollers and woops like he’s on the greatest roller coaster ride of the century. People pause what they’re doing just to watch the display. It’s too interesting to miss.   
  
He careens right under a row of five bots, not caring to look at their points. His claws combined with his speed managed to push the buttons and rip them clean out. Within seconds, akira wiped out five bots.   
  
Something he forgot about, was that this ride has no breaks. He has no method known to himself on how to stop. _‘If I can’t stop...then I’ll just run right ahead!’_ he declares to himself. He remembers what happened when he tried to stop before.   
  
Tossing the kill switch parts over his shoulder, he leans forward, slowing slightly. This gives him a chance to flap his wings. He isn’t really sure how he’s supposed to do it. He’s seen...birds fly before...so why is he drawing a blank. An animation of bird wings flapping play in his head as his own respond to the imagery. They copy the motion. It’s not enough to fully lift him off the ground. He’s still sliding around on the concrete, heading right for a wall.  
  
He starts internally screaming in fear. He turns on his side, sticking his right arm out, his claws leave sparks on the concrete too, joining the boots in their metallic screaming. With this he alters his path, steering himself away from a wall and towards other robots and people. He regrets all his decisions.  
  
Biting his lip in concentration, he pushes with all his might with his right arm to push himself up and out of the skid. The combination of the speed, momentum, push, and the flapping he’s doing results in him throwing himself high into the air. High up in the air, his wings flap in desperation to keep him air boy, he starts falling right back down to the earth. He looks around, needing to cushion his fall.   
  
Below himself and to the right there’s a large three pointer, looming onto an examinee. _‘Maybe if I land on it, it’ll distract the bot long enough for them to get back up.’_ he decides. He straightens his legs, aiming right for the bot’s large gatling gun. Hopefully it’ll stop his downward fall and knock the robot over at the same time.   
  
He feels the urge to say a one liner. Unable to resist the sweet hypnotic lullaby of a delicious one liner, Akira shouts out. 

“There’s better ways to ask a girl out!”  _ ‘I hope that sounded cool enough.’  _ His boot talons slam into the robot with the force of a runaway train. The strike painfully makes its way up the bird boy’s leg. It is similar to when you go batting with a metal bat, and hit the ball wrong, causing static pain to run up your phalanges. The robot is sent flying on it’s side, whirring and trying it’s best to get back up.

Akira holds his leg in pain. That was such a _bad_ idea. At least he’s stopped now and his leg isn’t broken. At least, the attention-seeker hopes it is not broken, could have fooled him with this pain.   
  
“Are you ok…?” someone comes up besides him, inspecting him. She pushes him into a sitting position. He takes in the girl’s appearance, her ginger hair is pulled into a side ponytail and her gem like teal eyes stare him right into his currently red ones. He blushes at her closeness.  
  
“I’m fine. What about you?” He asks her, getting up to his feet, he’s shaking but that’s mostly due to the excitement of going into a free fall to drop kick a bot. Speaking of the bot, he turns to look at it. Ok, still on its side. When he turns his head at the bot, it flinches, like it’s been caught red handed. He walks over and presses the kill switch on it, earning more points.  


“I got pretty lucky actually...I was just taking a break and then that robot caught me by surprise. I would be sporting some pretty bad welts if it wasn’t for you.” she rubs at her neck, embarrassed at being caught so off guard.  
  
Akira can’t resist. “I’ll come running any time you’re in danger, saving a pretty girl is a hero’s job after all!” Before the girl can witness his face turn cherry red from the cheesy line, he runs off, heading into the fray.  
  
The girl, Itsuka Kendo, watched as Akira sped away, almost a blur. Her warm smiles warbled. Face puff into a red steamed haze. ‘Such a hot guy called me pretty.’ she puts her hands to her face. She usually would deck someone across the room for calling her pretty… but she’ll allow it. Especially if the one complimenting her is that handsome.  
  


* * *

  
  


  
“ **Six minutes, and two seconds remaining**!” Is announced throughout the test ground.  
  
Akira has gotten the hang of his speed, able to zip around and even do minor glide dashes to help people and shut off robots. The practice has done him a world of good. The only thing he hasn’t mastered is flying. He wonders if he should do as the animal kingdom does, and just throw himself off a high ledge and hope he can figure it then. He suddenly has an all new sympathy for those baby chicks that get thrown out of their nests.   
  
At some point, the showoff’s intentions changed. He went from wanting to score a certain number of points to just wanting to have fun. The attention received when he rescues someone from a robot is all the better. He’s even gotten better at complimenting the ladies! Yu would be so proud.  
  
His wings shiver, sensing some kind of danger. He whips around to look at the distance. It’s the zero pointer!!! He forgot about it. He saw all it’s weaknesses on the diagrams but seeing it in person is very different. Running away from this thing is probably the best idea.   
  
The zero pointer begins chasing the examinees around. Aiming to scare them away from the opportunity of more points. It rampages through the city unimpeded. Akira uses this chance to zip around, practicing his leaps while helping those who've fallen and shutting down straggler bots that still threaten the more exhausted examinees.  
  
Confidence through the roof, this test has been a real confidence boost for him. He’s almost got flying down too. With his performance he can hope for an average score. What’s most important to him is how...free he feels right now. Getting to freely use his quirk for once. He’s never had this kind of a chance before.   
  
As he gets ready to detransform, someone runs up to him. The orange hair from before! The one with the gem eyes. She grabs his bolero by it’s fringe.  
  
“H-Hey! We need help getting some people out!” She begins. “The zero pointer knocked down a structure in a way it took an entire city block. There’s other kids like us still buried under there, and we can’t get them out.” Akira gulps.  
  
“Lead the way, that zero pointer won’t be stopping anytime soon.” He picks up the gem eyed girl, “point me in the direction, I can get us there faster.” With how serious the situation is, he can’t let himself be flustered by holding her.  
  


She points ahead, “Go straight for three blocks, then take a right, proceed for 2 more blocks, and we’re there.” She orders, decisive and leading no room for argument.  
  
Akira however sees another option, going up and over the building blocks will save them even more time. He takes off in a straight line, holding the ginger close, careful not to cut her with his claws.  
  
“I said to go straight, but not like thiiiiiisssssss!” She shouts as he scales the wall effortlessly. He hops up onto the building, this girl is by no means heavy but having a passenger is definitely affecting how high he can jump. “Well this works.” the girl concludes, realizing his shortcut.  
  
Carefully, he makes his way rooftop to rooftop. Getting to the disaster site in seconds. He sets the tomboy onto the ground gently. He takes stock of his surroundings. The zero pointer is too close for comfort. “Listen, take care of getting other kids unstuck, I’m going to go distract the final boss!”

  
Kendo is adamant “I’ve seen how you fight, you can’t take it on, let alone distract it. Do you have a plan at all for this thing?” Kendo doesn’t want to just let him leave and get hurt. There's already enough injured examinees as is.   
  


“It’s okay, I do have a plan.” Akira starts. ‘ _I don’t have a plan_ ’ he says internally. Before he can out himself and his poor planning, he decides he’ll distract with a joke! “I’m going to distract it with seduction!”   
  
Kendo for a minute goes stiff, like she’s been turned to stone.

“You can’t be serious.” Is all she can say.  
  
“It’ll be ok!” He winks at her before leaving. 

  
Kendo wastes no time in rushing over to her friend Ibara, activating her quirk to break apart the rubble. Big fists move to clear the larger pieces of rubble while the girl with vines for hair uses her vines in the ground to move the people out from underneath. Once freed, the kids run off screaming, without so much as a thanks.  
  
“It’s not going to be ok.” She deadpans, clearly worried.  
  
“Believe in him, you asked him for help because you trust him right?” the prickly girl asks. She manages to get a large section scooted over. “We’re almost done freeing them anyways.” She gestures to the almost completely cleared pile of rubble.  
  
“True. Luckily he won’t have to seduce the zero pointer for long” She chuckles to herself. She can’t believe he said he’d _seduce_ the robot of all things. He’s an odd one, but she likes that about him.   
  
Elsewhere, Akira has used his speed to reach the zero pointer. It was way too close to the rubble site for comfort. He runs up the side of a building, now a master of wall-walking. When at the top he jumps around, catching the zero pointer’s attention. The many beady red camera lenses on it flash in recognition. It seems to be assessing him.  
  
“Hey! Over here!” He starts flailing, doing a little dancy dance. “Yeah you!” He now has it’s full attention. “I bet you can’t catch me~” he sings songs.  
  
He leaps off the building, his wings work to cushion his fall for him. Once on the ground, he zips around the zero pointer’s tank track wheels. In a shock, the thing smashes the ground before him. He smacks into its arm.  
  
**WHAM!**  
  
He leaves a solid dent in the arm and falls back. Pain. All he knows is pain.   
  
“Uwaaghhrrr..” He groans. “What hit me…?” He asks, knowing the answer. Instead of giving him any reprieve, the robot reels back another hit. Massive robot knuckles sail at Akira. All he can do is gulp.   
  
The robot’s hit shakes the ground, causing more destruction. Buildings are felled and the rubble is knocked over. The clean up efforts of Ibara and Kendo seem to have been for not. The zero pointer lifts it fist.

The kid isn’t in the knuckle shaped crater. The zero pointer tilts its head, a question mark appearing above it. If the zero pointer was capable of intelligent thought, it would be asking  _ ‘where’d that kid go? _ ’ It simply shrugs. Kid is gone, so why would it care? It’s got a job to do. Building to smash, kids to scare. Having a nine to five job is tiring even for robots.   
  


The giant mass of metal starts heading back to the big rubble pile.   
  
“Did you forget something?” comes a voice right next to the robot’s head. It swivels around but doesn’t see anything. Akira is using his claws to stay stuck on the robot’s back. One of its many blnd spots. 

Akira climbs up, her knocks on one of it’s optics “Helllooo? Anybody home?” He snickers, he shouldn’t be enjoying this so much.   
  
The robot’s fist flies at its own head, aiming to shake Akira off. It damages itself. Denting in half it’s head. Sparks and smoke fill the air. The robot starts malfunctioning. It lets out a loud whirring noise as it starts spinning on it’s hip swivel joint. The treads start to spin out. The zero pointer is now on a high speed collision course for the kids trapped in the pile. 

Akira’s heart rate picks up while his stomach drops. It’s no longer fun and games. ‘I have to stop this thing and now!’ Akira’s mind goes into overdrive, coming up with the best plan of action. He thinks of how he can stop or deter it.   
  
He looks ahead, this thing moves way too fast. He sees Kendo clearing the rubble and evacuating people with her friend all the faster. _‘I can’t just swoop in and knock the zero pointer over like I did to that other robot before.’_ He pauses. Wait a minute…  
  
Wait just a minute.  
  
Akira can do what he did earlier! If he gets high enough, he can kick it on it’s side. The memory of earlier is playing in his head. _‘If I jump high enough, it might hurt less too,’_ he hopes. Question is, how does he get high enough to pull this off?   
  
He looks at the zero pointers, it’s arms spinning in a pinwheel around it’s own body, leaning forward as it rampages onward. ‘ _If I time it right...the zero pointer can launch me high enough._ ’  
  
He steals himself, his brothers won’t believe he did this. He can’t believe he’s doing this. He times it just right. Jumping out he lands square on a hand, he crouches on it, bearing the G forces as he swings him around in a messed up loop-de-loop.

The highest point comes all too soon for Akira, as he’s launched. Hurtling hard into the sky, he feels as his stomach is left behind. His eyes prick with tears and he has to clutch his mouth shut to keep his jaw from snapping open. He’s fast approaching the cloud line.

His ascent slows to a crawl, as he hovers just below the clouds. ‘No! This isn’t enough.’ He reaches out, hoping to somehow grab a hold of the fluffy cotton balls. ‘It’s not enough!’ Is repeated. His prays to heaven and hell, basically anyone willing to listen at this point, ‘please, wings work!’

It’s as if the wings heard him, they furl out and cut through the air. Akira holds his breath, not wanting to break concentration as he managed a few more feet. This happens to be enough. Breaking the cloudling, he breathes a sigh of relief. Time slows to a crawl for him.  
  
As far as the eye can see, is a blue and white expanse. Akira’s never witnessed something...as calming as this. The sky is pure blue, devoid of planes and other disturbances. He feels a chill on his back as he begins his descent. The clouds are colder one his way down.  
  
Akira smiles, the wing starts wiping at his hair and clothes. All he can hear is the sounds of his own heart beat. His descent gains speed and momentum by the second, his wings even push him to go even faster. Looking around, he can see the entirety of UA and the other test sights. Everything from this height blurs together into indistinct shapes. ‘ _They really aren’t going to believe this._ ’   
  
Getting closer and closer to where he accelerated from, he can see the zero pointer. His wings fold in, and his legs extend. Doing exactly what he did before. However, this time around he’s gained enough velocity. The ends of his heels start to glow red, superheating from the pure speed of his dive. A dome of condensing stratosphere surrounds his heels. To onlookers all over the battleground, it looks like a shooting star.   
  
Akira closes his eyes. His form lances through the zero pointer. Entering from the head and exiting at the torso. When out, he opens his eyes and softens his legs. He lands forcefully. Bouncing of the concrete like a skipping stone. His wings stayed nestled to his back the whole time, thankfully minimizing the damage to his wings. By the eighth bounce, he’s thrown right into a building. A meaty smack ringing through his entire being. He’s going to be feeling it for weeks to come.  
  
The bird flops off the building, head and back on the ground, with his legs folded over him. Arse over teakettle. He weakly brings a hand to his head, pain reverberating through his being from being ragdolled. He does a faux salute with two fingers, and winks at the zero pointer.  
  
“Now that’s a way to end in style.” And as he says that, the Zero pointer condenses on itself, the heat from Akira dive bomb generating enough heat to create a vacuum. The massive form folds creating a sparkling chain reaction of explosions throughout the gigantic being’s ore organs.   
  


**“IT IS ALLLLLLLLLLL OVER!”** Comes the impeccably timed voice of Present Mic.   
It’s quite the show stopper. At least it would be, if the bot’s arm didn’t fly off.   
  
As the arm hurtles at the rubble site, Ibara uses her quirk to create a large strong wall, protecting Kendo and the others. She however, is not safe. Akira can tell, she’ll get hit if she doesn’t move out of the way. He cartwheels over, having to do an awkward half flip and begins clawing his way into a sprint. 

Springing into action, he races to push her out of the way. Moments before the arm can crush her, Akira tackles her at a high velocity out of the way. While heading towards the ground akira flips them, cushioning her fall. His wings scrape against the pavement, feathers getting torn off. He’s just overall having a bad time.

They slow to a halt. Ibara’s wall held steady, stopping the behemoth’s arm. Akira’s back can’t say the same. He sits up to inspect Ibara. He realizes too late his claws went into her shoulders. He freaks out. She’s wincing.   
  
“Y-You shoulder...aaghh.. I’m sorry!!!” He panics. His form falls in a plume of red fire. He bows deeply despite the fiery hot burning on his back. The guilt is already eating up his insides serving as a distraction. 

Ibara holds at her injuries. “It’s...ok.” she hisses out. “Don’t apologize.” She puts a hand on his shoulder, and gets him to sit up. Akira looks at her, like he’s a kicked puppy. “You got hurt to save me, so thanks. I can’t stay mad at someone earnestly atoning.” The devout girl manages a slightly pained angelic smile.  
  
Akira looks down, blushing slightly. “I…” A lot of thoughts running through his mind. On one hand, he saved her, on the other, he hurt her to do it. There’s also the fact she wouldn’t have been hurt at all if he did better. However, before he has a chance to respond, an old lady hobbles over.   
  
“Now now, this is quite...something.” She takes stock of the test grounds. The rubble that was moved and shifted. The still slightly trapped kids. The two injured kids right in front of her.She huffs, but gives Kendo an approving look as she hands her some gummy shark candies. “You girls did a great job showing just how capable us ladies can be.” she nods in approval. She hobbles up to ibara. “That was some of the best rescue work I have seen in this test.  
  
“My...those are some cuts.” She compliments coming up to Ibara. “Those won’t be fixed with just a bandaid or ice pack.” Her lips stretch out, giving Ibara a big wet old lady smooch right on the cheek. 

“Chuuuuuuu” can be heard, as the sweet old lady holds the kiss. Ibara blushes, thoroughly embarrassed. Akira.exe has stopped. 

A glow envelopes Ibara, Akira can see the wounds on her shoulders heal up. He leans in, looking at the old lady confused. He looks between the two. “Was that your quirk?” he asks, surprised to see a healing quirk in action.  
  
“What has this generation come to? You kids don’t know much.” She tuts, “I am the school nurse and retired heroine, Recovery Girl. At your Service. She uses her needle cane to walk up to Akira. She hands him an ice pack and some chocolate kisses. Akira looks at them a little bit shocked.

“What do I do with this?” He holds it up.   
  
“...” Recovery Girl stares at him, and then chops him on the head. “How can you not know how to use an ice pack???” She exclaims. “Put it on your back while I treat the other test takers that are still under the rubble.” She turns snippety “You’re almost as bad as that one boy in green…and just as the grumpy blue one.”

Some more heroes emerge from the wood works, Midnight, Present Mic, and Thirteen all show up to help free the trapped kids. The clean up is swift. Recovery Girl provides first aid to the children and offers them a variety of sweets. None of them were seriously injured thankfully. The Teachers of UA leave, cheerful nothing went wrong this test year.  
  
All the while, Akira sat aside, his back on fire. Looking at the asphalt, it looks like a chicken explodes out on the pavement. Lots of feathers and some blood. He wonders if his back is the same? Is it a bloody mess? He is too scared to find out. Meanuvoring to put the ice pack on his back was too hard too, so he ended up just sitting there. Ibara and Kendo were chatting with him the entire time.   
  
Recovery Girl hobbles over to Akira again, “Ready to be treated young man? I’m sorry you had to wait so long, But we weren’t sure about the injuries of the kids in the rubble.” She rubs her neck slightly. 

He blushes “Uh...Do you have to kiss me?” He rubs his cheeks, “It’s kind of embarrassing.” Akira is flustered, he likes attention, but this is also an old lady kissing him on the cheek in front of the teachers and girls.  
  
Instead of answering him, Recovery Girl’s lips stretch out and peck Akira right on the forehead. He turns an even brighter red, a warm tingling sensation blossoming from his head to toes. The warm feeling transitions to a cooling numb. Washing over the stinging back, aching shoulders, and protesting legs. He can feel everything healing over, and when the quirk has run its course, he feels physically drained.  
  
Recovery Girl smiles at him. “There you go, you kids did really well today, it’s suffice for me to say an early ‘welcome to UA’.” She winks at the three, and hands them all extra candies. For Akira he receives tootsie pops, Ibara gets swedish fish, and Kendo gets gummy frogs. The three kids munch on the sugary sweets, getting some energy back from them.   
  
“T-Thanks Ma’am” the fluffy haired boy politely starts. “Do we have rides back to UA?” He asks, not sure if he can leave yet.  
  
“I don’t know, figure it out yourself.” She quips, tired after a long day of walking to multiple test sites, healing injury after injury. “I’m just kidding, stop making that face. Go hop on the bus at the entrance.”

  
She smiles, laughing at the joke. The kids all three sigh with relief. Akira opens his phone, checking the messages as he and the girls head back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really appreciate all the kudos and comments!!! Thank you everyone for liking this fic. Happy Valentines Day~ It's tomorrow and I hope you all get yourselves something nice!


	3. Lesson 3: U-A Hero Exam Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see the conclusion to the exam arc!

When Akira gets back to the main building, Yu can be seen waiting at the entrance waiting for him. There’s a wide berth around him, almost like people are avoiding him.

The silverette is standing tall and strong, smiling slightly while looking to spot Minato or Akira. Every time it seems like he’s going to ask someone a question they flinch and run from him.  
  
Akira gets off the bus, making his way to his brother.  
  
“That’s the guy that took out the zero pointer.” He can hear whispering.  
  
“No wayyyy, is he going to go fight with the other zero point slayer?”   
  
“Won’t they get expelled?”   
  
“I hope so, No one wants those two to be in the class, they’re way too overpowered. I heard one of them even got another examinee injured!”  
  
Akira went from walking on cloud nine to trudging through lead. His stomach twists as rocks settle in it. His memory of Ibara’s shoulders hitting him like a brick, guilt wrenching his gut. He depressedly walks up to Yu.  
  
Yu is blissfully unaware of Akira’s despair and the gossiping surrounding them. “Aki! How’d it go?” He comes up and pats Akira’s back. The bird boy shys away.  
  
“It went well. I know I passed for sure.” He nods, not mentioning how his test actually went.  
  
“That’s great! I know I passed too. We can talk about it over dinner. I’m starving. By the way, I think Natto is ghosting us again. He isn’t replying to his texts.” Akira smiles, remembering how the nickname Natto came about.  
  
 _“Minato you’re stinky like natto! Stinky fermented bean boy!” A taller insults. He jeers at the smaller Minato, “From now on I’m calling you Natto! Until you stop being a stinky stinker!”_ Comes the voice of his older brother. Yu and himself were on the floor laughing while Minato turned angrier and angrier. It looked like he was going to use his quirk on their joking elder. _  
_  
Akira opens his phone, takes a selfie of his own forehead, and sends a concerned text Minato’s way.

“Where u at” is typed out with the selfie attached, Every few seconds Akira takes a new photo, and sends it to Minato.

“You think Natto’s ok?” Akira asks his brother, Yu shrugs in reply.  
  
“You always get so concerned for him, but nothing can hurt him, physically and emotionally.” Yu acts like it’s normal for someone to be sturdy.  
  
Seconds after sending that Text, Akira gets a text back in the group. A ‘ping’ rings out. Yu doesn’t get jealous, not one bit.   
  
Yu pulls out his own phone and opens the group chat. Getting ready to be involved in the group chat conversation. 

_‘In infirmary, new friend passed out.’_ Is what greats the two brothers. They both look at each other for about a second before replying with lightning fast speed.

  
_‘You made a friend? An actual genuine friend? How’d you convince them to put up with you? - Yu’_ Is what the tall brother types.  
  
 _‘No waaaaaaaayyyyyy’_ Is Akira’s reaction. He makes to accent it with flavorful reaction emojis.   
  
Akira chuckles at Yu. “When will you stop texting like an old man?” He jabs Yu in the rib, talking to his brothers has helped him to forget his gut wrenching guilt for now.  
  
“I’ll stop when I’m dead. Texting is no excuse to not use proper grammar.” He almost starts lecturing his little brother.  
  
 _‘Well I made two friends actually.’_ Is the text that interrupts their goof and gafs. 

  
“No way.” Akira is awed. “This isn’t him. Who is texting us and what did he do to our stinky Natto?”

Yu is just as scared “I don’t know Aki, but whoever it is, they were strong enough to beat him. I’m afraid we won’t have a chance to stop this diabolic mastermind, whatever their plan is.”

  
  
Akira and Yu send a slew of replies to the chat, they can each tell with their phones that the messages aren’t being read.

  
  
“He grows more powerful by the minute.”

  
  
“I’m scared.”  
  
The two looked at each other, grinning ear to ear. They laugh together. Yu leans against Akira, laughing so hard he can’t stand anymore. While laughing, they finally get another text from Minato.  
  
 _‘Go to the gate, Stop just standing around laughing at your little inside joke. We’ll meet there. Let’s go home, you hyenas.’_ Was the text they got.  
  
“How’d he know we were standing around laughing?” Akira asks, now genuinely afraid.  
  
“He always knows, let’s go. Best not to make him wait.” Is Yu’s reply. 

The two swiftly became three. The triplets started heading home and talk the whole way about things that happened during their respective exams.   
  


* * *

  
  
  


When the three make it home, they’re greeted by the whole Arikuyo family. Their oldest brother opens the door for them.   
  
“No soliciting please.” Was his reply as he goes to slam the door on them. Akira snickers for a split second.  
  
Minato shoves his foot into the jam. “You better move.” He threatens. His aura radiates around him, promising death and violence.  
  
The oldest brother, Naoya Arikuyo steps back, sweating and gulping. “S-Sorry Natto! It was just a joke, thought you’d laugh is all.” Because of the time, Naoya is currently in pajamas. 

He’s wearing a gray fleece set, paired with blue slippers and a white band t-shirt underneath. He also is wearing a robe on top, really completing the book reading hermit look. If only he read books. Despite dressing like he’s going to bed, Naoya also has his Dark purple hair styled in perfect tips. Made to flip up around the edges of his face and bangs framing his sharp eyes. His large brown eyes are also perfectly framed in black eye liner and lower lash mascara. His left ear sports a simple silver hoop earring. To really pull the whole look together, he’s also wearing purple matte lipstick. 

Minato pushes the door open forcibly. “Do not step where I step.” Is all he says to his elder.  
  
Naoya shrinks in fear. Yu walks in behind Minato, he shouts to the parents, “Mom, Dad! We’re home!” He goes to his room to change and get ready for dinner, and Minato follows suit.  
  
Akira walks to Naoya “I thought the door prank was funny Nao-nii,” is all he offers.  
  
Naoya puts a hand on Akira’s shoulder, smiling. “I always knew you were the smartest one Aki. Did you do the lines I taught you?” He wonders, excited to know if they worked.  
  
Akira turns rosy pink. “Y-yeah...It was cheesy but it worked.”   
  
“ _Wait, it worked?_ ” Naoya coughs into his hands “That’s awesome Aki, I knew you could do it,” he looks away as he flashes a thumbs up. He retreats to his room and finishes in removing his makeup.

Akira smiles, as he too heads up to his room, getting ready for the night. He could smell dinner from the entrance and it’s making him drool a waterfall.   
  
The Three triplets waste no time in changing. Akira comes out in a gray baseball T, tucked into his green sweats, big fluffy white socks on his feet, and an open black, knitted cardigan. Minato is wearing long sleeves and even longer pants, but the outfit is entirely too baggy on him. For some reason, as soon as he saw the prison stripes he was attached to them. Yu walks out carrying Minako, their younger sister. Yu is wearing a thick long sleeved V neck shirt, black sweats, and a sweater tied to his waist.   
  
Minako smiles, “You’re all back!” she chirps. Their dad comes out of the kitchen, apron on, dishes in his hands. He hands it to the boys, the signal to set the table. They can hear Tatsuya humming in the kitchen, probably finishing up dinner.   
  
Once the table is set, Minato rushes to go help Tatsuya set the food on the table, not only foaming at the mouth to help his beloved Tatsuya, but also super hungry. Yu sets Minako down, and the youngest does a little twirl for them.  
  
“Look, Mom helped me pick this! It’s my princess sleeping dress.” True to its name, the dress is pink, frilly, and covered in cute little flower babbles. Overall, she looks like a comfortable princess.   
  
“That’s nice, are you ready to hear about how totally cool and amazing we were today?” Yu asks, Minako already basically eating out of his hand. Or maybe the other way around.

Minako nods and bounces, running around the table, excited as can be. Tatsuya walks out from the kitchen drying his hands, “Minako, be careful, you might trip.”

“I won’t!” she sing-songs— and then proceeds to then trip on the rug. However, unlike most other kids would, she springs right back up, not crying. “I’m fine!”  
  
Yu falls to his knees, like he’s been struck by lightning. “Minako!!! You’re so inspiring!” He bows to her as a joke...or is it? 

Their mother comes downstairs, toweling her white hair off. “Dinner smells great, are we going to eat or keep staring at Yu throwing himself at Minako feet? Either way, I’m entertained!” She jokes around. 

Minato sits at the table, his stomach rumbles loudly. “If you don’t sit down in the next few seconds I will eat all of this.”   
  
Akira and Naoya both jump into their seats, not wanting to miss the meal. Yu sits down dejected and Minako jumps to sit with her mom. Their dad and Tastuya sit by each other.

Everyone begins digging in, compliments to the chefs are passed. The meal is a jovial one, as the boys regale their family on the happenings of the exam.   
  
Once full, the family goes about their own way. All having their own pass times. Yu and Minako go to watch TV. Naoya sits by them working on his graduee hero thesis. Tatsuya cleans up the dining table, having already taken care of his homework. Akira decides to head back up to his room.

Minato goes into the kitchen, and rummages in the fridge, but feels a tap on his back. Turning around, he sees that it’s his father. His dad smiles at him and ruffles his hair. If anyone else did this to him, he’d stop them— if he was in a good mood. If it was a bad mood, you wouldn't be able to identify the body. Unless they were Tatsuya of course, Minato worships the ground Tatsuya walks on, so a head pat from him is perfectly acceptable. His dad hands him two spoons and gives him a thumbs up. He signs,' _you're a good big brother'_ to his middle son.  
  
Minato blushes a bit, and takes the two spoons, he leaves the room and heads upstairs. Instead of going into his room, he goes to Akira’s room. He walks in without knocking, giving the bespectacled boy a heart attack.   
  
Akira jumps, turning from his desk to look at the emo boy in shock. “M-Minato?”  
  
Minato walks up to him, handing him a spoon and a pudding cup. His little brother will eat _anything_ sweet or chocolate/coffee flavored.

“Talk,” he orders. His tone leaves no room for argument.  
  
Akira stares at his pudding. It’s Mocha, his favorite flavor in pudding. He smiles, taking off his fashion glasses. He looks at Minato. “Talk about what?”  
  
Minato glowers, “I know something is wrong, stop hiding it from me.”   
  
Akira sweats a bit, his cheeks blushing a bit. “...Nothing gets past you does it?”   
  
He gets no reply.  
  
“A-Alright...uhm...During the test, I, uh...It’s embarrassing but I hurt another examinee. I...I was the reason she was in danger in the first place. I just...feel really bad about it.”

Minato keeps staring. Akira sweats. He’s growing more nervous, “...”  
  
Minato’s gaze pierces into Akira’s soul. “I...I’m also worried about going to UA...I know I passed the exam but...During the exam I never figured out how to fly. I..I don’t know If i’m really cut out for this.”   
  
Minato sets his empty pudding cup down on Akira’s desk and pulls him into an awkward hug. He presses Akira’s head into his chest, only hugging his head with one arm. Akira knows how much Minato doesn’t like to be touched, so this gesture of comfort means a lot to him. He feels warm and fuzzy, and although it’s embarrassing, he inhales his big brother’s comforting scent.  
  
“You’ll be fine. You did perfectly okay. If you’re worried about hurting another examinee, then do everything you can to earn their forgiveness,” he pauses, ruffling Akira’s fluffy locks. “No matter who they are, if they see you doing your best, then they’ll forgive you.” 

Those words mean a lot to the bird boy. It’s not every day that the aloof eldest provides a shoulder to lean on. He smiles and nuzzles into Minato’s chest, getting hair all over his brother’s pajamas.   
  
Minato pushes him off. “You ruined it.” He says while smoothing his shirt. “Don’t forget to bring the spoon down,” he walks out with his trash and spoon. 

Akira smiles; he has the best brothers ever. Minato’s quite the reassuring figure when he wants to be. In spite of the blue haired teen’s apparent apathy, he’s never failed to have Akira’s back. Though he supposed reliability is a necessary trait to have with Yu as a brother. The silverette could be a real handful at times. And yet, they both always know exactly what to say to him.

He sleeps with a clear conscience that night, the weight on his chest having faded into a distant memory.

When they receive the exam results, it comes as a shock for all. 

* * *

  
  


Early in the day, during the exams, all of the UA staff sits in one massive control room observing the happenings. There’s a multitude of screens high above and below the staff, making sure they miss no details and ensuring they get the full picture of all the exams.  
  
“So many Battlefields for those children to cut up.” Someone begins. “Such a wide arena with the limited time as a factor, this really brings out their best.”  
  
The small mouse creature gestures to one screen, a boy whose stretched out six limbs into an umbrella shape, and then to another screen with a girl plugging her long earlobes into a wall. “Here we have those showing an aptitude for gathering information. They’re able to assist and assess the situation in an instant.” The small bear-mouse thing looked positively giddy. 

He then goes on to wave three more screens into view, showing a boy with black hair using metal to move around. Another boy with exhaust pipes coming out of his legs rockets around his designated arena. Then to the final boy with wings, running around at insane speeds as he is able to jump at just as insane heights. “Then we see those speed demons. People who will always arrive early at any sign of trouble. Mobility experts!” 

He waves away that footage in favor of some more, “Then we see natural adaptors. People that are able to stay calm under the situation and act for others. True leaders and decision makers!” It shows a twinkling boy firing a navel lazer at a faux villain to protect a group of scared examinees, somehow he's smiling right into the holographic screen. The same is being done by a boy clad in marshmallow shaped boots, blue hair, and giant shield. A girl with a big hand is also shown to be protecting others while commanding them where to go.  
  
“We even have a new unique kind, people who don’t falter and protect others. Rallying their fighting spirit! Team builders and natural born performers!” This time it cuts to a boy spiking up, and charging a faux villain, others cheering for him. The same is said for an equally enthusiastic boy, however this one takes on a metallic sheen as he powers up. The test also reveals a pink girl with horns, spewing acid at a faux villain and flashing a cheery grin to the onlookers. 

The principle creature doesn’t stop there. “And finally, we see natural born warriors. The perfect fighters, always on the front line. The loose, uncompromisable cannons!” The creature compliments while insulting? It cuts to two boys absolutely ripping through the villains. Not stopping for a single second to rest. The screens also show another examinee as a beast, charging through and rag dolling the robots like they’re a chew toy.

The staff and judges all grin. This year’s examinees seem so promising! 

“These examinees are judged by the points they earn, but that alone doesn’t quantify their abilities to preserve the peace in our cities! They act for points right now, so let’s see how they act with a certain obstacle!” The principle creature grins.   
  
A cheerful female teacher gets up; she’s grinning as she presses something labeled ‘Yaruki Switch’, which, when translated, means ‘Motivation Switch’.   
  
“These final moments will tell us all we need to know about the future students.” The Principle says, absolutely beside himself. 

The judges seem confused, one pipes up. “What do you mean Principle Nezu?” He politely asks.  
  
“That obstacle I mentioned before? It’s not meant to be conquered. We want for the examinees to be completely overwhelmed.” The principle answered, the mirth gone for a moment.  
  
The judge gulped as another one joined the conversation. “Sir...that makes no sense. How can you have kids pass like this? Isn’t this unfair?”

Nezu goes back to grinning. “That’s right! People show their true colors when they face that thing. Some walls can’t be overcome right? Do you really think UA wants a student that gave up so easily?”

The female teacher of UA adds her two cents. “We’re being fair to these kids, by being unfair! This is UA’s first lesson: never give up! Don’t stop until the last villain is defeated and behind bars and the last civilian is safe at home.” She puffs her chest out with pride, crossing her arms. “Life is unfair, villain fights are unfair, and no man is created equal. With that in mind, we create an impossible situation to overcome, and those who didn’t shine before, have another chance at the spotlight!”  
  
The judges all blush at the beautiful teacher, wishing they could hear her talk to them all day. However, as if on cue, several screens enlarge themselves. One has a young man in a green tracksuit soaring through the sky, and punching the zero pointer into oblivion. Another camera comes up showing how a girl is stuck in rubble. A bluenette digs her out and together they save the falling green boy.   
  
Another screen lights up to a spiky explosive blond being thrown at the zero pointer, and the thrower jumping to join him, both aiming to destroy the behemoth. They blow it to bits as the other examinees scramble to run away. 

A third screen zooms in. Showing how a winged boy makes the zero pointer punch itself, before piercing it like an arrow. A secondary shot shows it was so two other examinees could do rescue work! Along with the last minute rescue being performed by the winged boy.  
  
Nezu and the teachers all shivered. The judges are all excited, each sporting their own face splitting grins.

  
A large teacher, built like a brick house, starts. “...did we just see that right?” comes his deep rumbling voice.  
  


“My eyes miss nothing, but even I am doubtful.” The western gunslinger adds. 

“I...I can’t believe it. Not one...not two...but _four!_ ” The female teacher squeals. 

Nezu starts chuckling from his perch on a certain someone’s shoulder. “Marvelous! Wonderful! Superfluous!” He clasped his paws together. “This year’s students are going to be amazing!”  
  
The someone serving as a perch for the principle puts his face in his hand. _‘Every year. Every year, it somehow gets worse.’_

“It’s pretty obvious those kids that did the zero pointer smashing and evacuating are getting in the hero course.” She turns to the two Hero Homeroom teachers. “Soooo who’s going to who?”

“Shota I know you want the two angry ones, right?” The female teacher starts jabbing.  
  
“No.” The one known as Shota shakes his head. “Nemuri, your jokes get worse and worse. Honestly, can I just take the rescue students and then have Kan take all those violent kids? At least with those rescue ones I can nap and leave it to them.”   
  
Kan shakes his head. “No...I can’t take those hot blooded ones, you should know this. However, can I request to have the one with wings and the navel laser?” 

“Why those two?” Present Mic asks, walking back in after announcing the end of the exam.   
  
“Not now Hizashi.” Shota sighs. “Don’t some of you have kids to dig out?” He points at the exam footage, that’s still live.  
  
“Oh crap you’re right!” Present Mic rushes to leave. “I’ll need help!”

Recovery Girl stands up, slow and steady. “I have to go heal these punks in order. Sorry but one of you is going to have to carry me around. We need to go to that green boy first.” She peers at the footage of the bluenette picking him up. “What bone in that young man’s body isn’t broken?” She sighs. “Poor thing.”

Kan stands up. “Please allow me, Recovery Girl.” He respectfully picks her up and carries her out. 

With all the teachers helping with rescues, clean ups, and healing, that leaves just Shota and the principle. 

“I’m serious when I say I don’t want them.” Shota starts.  
  
“Your mouth says one thing, but your heart says another.” Principle Nezu chimes. He’s still grinning. “Besides, I can’t give the winged one to Kan, he belongs with his brothers!” A tick appears on the raggedy black haired man’s head. “The three compliment each other in a way! Like how Jack can’t be seen in a deck without a King and Queen!”  
  
“You can’t be serious.” Is all the hobo looking man can say. “Stop with the card analogies, they make no sense.”  
  
“They were good and you know it! You can whine and mope all you want, you’re not getting out of this. So I hope you have fun reigning those kids in! They need you!” He claps his little paws, finalizing it. “Good luck with training your new wild cards, Eraserhead-sensei!”   
  
“You take too much pleasure in giving me an aneurysm.” Eraserhead grumbles out, as he gets up to take a nap, still having to do his night shift. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
Once the examinees are sent home, the points are assigned as the judges and teachers reach a conclusion.   
  
The Exam Results are the following:

  
  
**1st Place.** Minato Arikuyo 45 Villain points and 55 Rescue points.

**2nd Place.** Akira Arikuyo 45 Villain points and 40 Rescue points. 

**3rd Place tie.** Yu Arikuyo & Bakugo Katsuki 80 Villain points and 0 Rescue points.

**4th Place.** Eijrio Kirishima 40 Villain points and 39 Rescue points.

**5th Place.** Uraraka Ochako 28 Villain points and 50 Rescue points.

**6th Place.** Izuku Midoriya 0 Villain points and 75 Rescue points. 

**7th Place.** Ibara Shiozaki 36 Villain points and 38 Rescue points. 

**8th Place.** Kendo Itsuka 25 Villain points and 45 Rescue points.

  
**  
****9th Place.** Iida Tenya 52 Villain points and 9 Rescue points

**10th Place.** Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu 49 Villain points and 10 Rescue points.

And thus concludes the UA entrance exam!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to everyone who has taken time to leave comments. I am thoroughly enjoying reading them all. I've also received a lot of great writing advice from users Mezmo, kingJackson10101010, and Annavanpie. Plus I'd like to thank BukuBuku, Nael, Kentario, Addove, and Jeenius_the_Dork for all the great ideas and general feedback on this AU.


	4. Lesson 4: Quirk Apprehension Test Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of class!

The day started early for three brothers. The moon is just about to dip below the horizon, while the sun is only just waking up. Minato and Yu both work to drag Akira downstairs.   
  
Everyone is up except for Minako. The father, Serf, tends to his sons like a mother hen would her chicks, fixing their hair and smoothing down their collars. The mother, Margaret, has a camera at the ready.

“Oh your first day! How exciting!” She cooes. “Not only did Naoya and Tatsuya get into UA, now my three babies are going too!” Her happiness goes through the roof. “Ok you three, pose, I want a decent photo of you three before you go and ruin your uniforms.”

All three of them blush. Akira gives a big yawn, his hair somehow a bigger mess than normal. “Why are we up this earlyyyyy?” He drawls out.  
  
Yu pulls him into his signature one armed hug. “Well we’re going to have a big breakfast after this. Tatsuya and I made it together.” He winks.  
  
Akira only slightly wakes up. “Your cooking…?” He drools a bit. “Mmmm Tatsu-nii's and Yu’s cooking.”  
  
Minato nods in agreement.   
  
The three pose for the picture. Minato puts his hands in his pockets, his hair brushed out of his face for the photo. Yu stands at his full height, looking large and in charge. Akira gives a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head. 

_Click_.  
  
The flash goes off, and all at once the photo shoot is over. Akira and Minato are both sitting at the dinner table, having rushed to their seats as soon as the flash went off. Yu tuts, knowing the enthusiasm is because of his culinary skills. Minato can’t cook to save his own life, and while Akira can make a mean bowl of curry, anything else he tries is mediocre at best.  
  
Naoya and Tatsuya both smile at the triplettes. “This reminds me of my first day.” Tatsuya begins. “Do you two know your classroom?”   
  
“It’s 1-A.” Yu answers, him being the only morning person of the trio. Yu pours himself a cup of coffee, and proceeds to butter his warm toast, setting it on a plate full of rise, fish, and other breakfast arrangements.   
  
“Hah. Figures. Naoya and I were taught in 1-A too when we started.” Tatsuya becomes thoughtful. “You should see if you can find mine and Naoya’s desk. We put our special little marks on them.” He snickers a bit while remembering. 

Akira chugs his own cup of coffee, complete with cream and a copious amount of sugar, needing the rush to wake up. He starts nibbling at his beautiful breakfast. “Tatsu-ni, did you really mark school property?”   
  
Tastuya laughs. “I did wayyyy worse things than that. I was in Recovery Girl’s infirmary more than the homeroom I think!”   
  
Naoya snickers. “OH, you don’t even know the _half_ of it. There were so many rumors swirling around about us too! Some people thought we were fake, like robots.”   
  
“Why’s that?” Yu asks, curious. “How come you didn’t mention this before?”  
  
Tastuya and Naoya look at each other. “It never came up. Hopefully, those rumors died with our graduations.” Tatsuya shakes his head.  
  
“I think a couple staying around would be nice, and my little monkeys here can continue my legacy!”   
  
“The rumors were started because well...people thought we were...too perfect? We both did well in our classes. Academically and practically. I guess people are jealous of hard workers?” Tatsuya shrugs. “But none of that matters, today isn’t about us. It’s about you three.” He smiles at them and hands them more food. “Make sure you eat up, you have a big day ahead.”  
  
Naoya nods. “No matter how nervous you are, just eat. You’ll need to keep your energy. The first day is always somehow the longest. Like time has stopped.”   
  
Minato doesn't have to be told twice, he starts shoveling his third plate of breakfast into his mouth. 

Once breakfast is done, the three pack their backpacks with the essentials. Minato uses his time to untuck and mess up his UA uniform. All three siblings are wearing UA’s winter uniform, as it’s still chilly at the very beginning of spring. 

Minato wears his coat open and disheveled. He’s far more comfortable with it untucked and looking messy. He sports his signature blue headphones and paint splattered shoes. But something is missing. He takes his red tie off and ties it on his arm, like a band. If you were to look up the word ‘sloppy’ in the dictionary, a picture of Minato would be what you see.  
  
Yu was similar to Minato. He also wore his coat open, shirt untucked, and collar popped. Somehow, he managed to make the pressed collar of the UA outer jacket to pop as well. He’s tucked his tie hastily in his pocket. He’s got black shoes and bright yellow laces. He pushes up his yellow glasses, showing that the two match. Essentially, just imagine a stereotypical biker gang leader, then give him a silver bowl cut. 

Unlike his laid back brothers, Akira decided he would wear the uniform properly. It looks smart on him, being the tall, dark, and handsome image he is, the uniform complimenting his slim and long form. He has bright red shoes and pushes up his black fashion glasses. Akira is the nervous type, and having fashion glasses helps. It gives him a sort of bookish appearance, which keeps him from standing out terribly.

Tatsuya and Serf both smile as they hand the boys their lunches. Naoya runs in with 3 water bottles, he hands it to them as well.   
  
“You can’t forget, It’s bad form to drink the tap water of unfamiliar places.” He says resolute. It doesn’t make sense— all of the tap water in the city comes from the same water plant.  
  
Minato shakes his head. “Again with your nonsense.” He tchs, but takes the water bottle anyways.   
  
“This better not be salt water again.” Yu says as he takes his.  
  
“I thought the salt water was better than the one time he gave us bittermelon blended up.” Akira adds, taking his.   
  
Margaret looks at her three babies. “Oooooh you three are so cute. I would take more photos but I don’t want you to be late! Us Arikuyo’s are overachievers! Well, except one. Just look at Naoya, he managed!” She points to the oldest, razzing him despite getting the top in his class.  
  
“Wait did you just use me as an example as an underachi-”

He’s cut off, as Minato leads the trio out of the door. “We’re off.” He says, snubbing his biggest brother.  
  
Tatsuya smiles and shakes his head. “Well good luck you three, break a leg!”   
  
Yu smiles. “It’s just the first day of school, what’s the worst that can happen? We somehow get expelled?” 

The second eldest shrugs. “With your track record? It just might happen.” Tatsuya replies.  
  
“Huh, you’re right,” Yu deadpans, in all seriousness.  
  
Naoya comes up and gives Akira the biggest hug, fluffing his hair. “Akira won’t get into any trouble, isn’t that right my dear Aki-pocky?” He asks, while rhyming.

“Don’t worry Nao-ni! Out of all of us, I’ll be sure to set the best example.” He grins, despite being a nervous wreck on the inside.  
  
Naoya gives a lasting squeeze before letting go.  
  
The brothers head out, the sun only beginning to rise into the sky. It’s still early, and not even the birds are chirping yet.  


* * *

The three arrive to UA in record time. The head up the vast halls of the towering school. Once they reach the class labeled 1-A, all they can do is gawk at the door. It towers over them, being three times Yu’s height. 

Yu lets out a low whistle as he opens the door. The three walk in, and it turns out two others arrived early as well. Sitting in the back is a black haired girl. Her hair is pulled into a messy spiky ponytail, and some hair is pulled out, dangling on the right side of her face. She gives off a vibe of a very mature beauty. The other student was a male, with half red hair, half white hair. Looking like the living embodiment of peppermint, he gives them a hard stare, and Akira gulps, noting that he seems to be the same height as him, and has a single blue eye and a single grey one.   
  
The three look around the empty classroom. Minato simply glides in and plops onto the first desk, in the front row, right next to the window, showing just how brazen he really is.

Yu looks around, and decides he’ll sit smack in the middle of the classroom. He goes and places his stuff down onto a seat in the center. Once situated, he goes over to introduce himself to the other two students. 

Akira decides he’ll just sit in the back. He doesn’t like talking much, and people in the back don’t tend to get called on. He puts his stuff down on a seat in the back row, picking to be next to the peppermint boy.   
  
Akira smiles and waves at him. “I’m Akira Arikuyo, what’s your name?” He asks politely.  
  
Simultaneously, Yu is talking to the black haired beauty. “I’m Yu Arikuyo, and you are?” He asks in an open way.   
  
The peppermint boy doesn’t even bother turning to Akira, just giving him a side glance. “Todoroki.” Is his one word reply.   
  
‘Just my luck. I had to sit by the iciest guy possible.’ runs through Akira’s head. “U-Uhm...Nice to meet you Todoroki...A-Are you excited for the first day of class?”   
  
One the other side of the room, the blackette gives Yu a polite smile. “I am Momo Yaoyorozu.” She puts a hand out cordially. “You are the one who tied in 3rd place if I’m not mistaken.” Momo starts, having done her research.   
  
His grin widens as he reaches out to shake her hand. “You’re right, I forgot I tied.” when they’re done shaking hands he leans back. “Do you have first day jitters?”   
  
Shifting back, Akira is striking out. “No.” Is the one word answer he receives.   
  
He looks down, being thrown for a loop. How can someone continue a conversation with another who clearly doesn’t want one? He wishes he sat by Minato, the silence wouldn’t be so awkward then. 

On cue, another student comes in. It’s the angry explosive guy Yu tested with. Minato recognizes him from the hallway as well. The explosive teen saunters in. He slumps forward, portraying an indignant aura. Something seems to have happened to make him agitated, or is he always like that?  
  
Yu perks up. “Katsuki!” He goes over to him. “Good morning!” His friendly and cheerful greeting only serves to upset the platinum blonde. His blood red eyes pierce into him like a hot knife.  
  
“Call me that again chrome-dome, and you’ll lose a finger.” His threat rings oddly hollow. Like the heat is gone from the fight. He pops his feet up on the random desk he chose. He looks away from Yu, ignoring him.  
  
Yu unperturbed, waves a hand in Bakugo’s face. “Katsuki! It’s not nice to threaten your friends this early in the morning!” He tutts. “Save it for after lunch at least.” He deadpans.   
  
Bakugo snaps. “You little punk!” He grabs Yu’s arm, his explosion quirk turning up the heat. “I warned you!”   
  
Yu just shoves his hand onto Bakugo’s skull. “I said to save it for later, it’s too early for this.” He doesn’t back down.   
  
Minato has his head turned slightly, ready to step in. Akira has shrunken into himself, not believing that Yu is already causing trouble. Todoroki remains unfazed. Momo stands up from her seat.  
  
“You two shouldn’t fight, this is the first day. You’re Bakugo Katsuki right? The other third place tier?” Momo tries changing the subject but unknowingly triggers Bakugo’s tidal wave of rage.   
  
“Did you just say I am third rate??” He asks, having completely imagined something else. “I’m not some third rate LOSER like this idiot!” He points at Yu, crackles coming off his palms.   
  
Momo shrinks back. She didn’t expect… _this_. Bakugo’s rage is wild and untamable, lashing out at whoever is nearest. 

Minato stands up, putting a hand on the smoking boy. “Sit down, hot head” He simply commands.   
  
Bakugo sprouts several veins at this. “Who do you think you are ordering me around???” He glares at Minato. Minato glares right back. Bakugo can’t take this. First there’s someone with a backbone, not only rising to meet his taunt but seeming to be just as blood thirsty as him about it. And now this, some blue haired, gray eyed… _emo_ that spends time on tumblr is not only ordering him to sit down, but with eyes that promise to make him do it if he doesn’t choose to.   
  
Bakugo tch’s audibly. “Whatever Tumblr...Chrome-dome...Just leave me alone if you know what’s good for you.” With the threat hanging in the thick atmosphere, he hotly sits down, feet propped up and all.   
  
Minato sits back in his seat, and a clueless Yu decides to try talking to Todoroki for a change. 

With that exchange forgotten, more and more students trickle in. They’ve all picked seats they like, not sure if they’ll be moved later. The brown haired girl from before walks in. She makes a b-line for Minato.  
  
“M-Minato! Good morning!” She claps her hands together, cheeks tinted in pink happiness. “I knew you’d make it into the hero class! Have you run into the green haired boy at all? Can you believe he didn’t text me at all this entire time? Do you think he missed our phone numbers?” She gasps, and leans in. “He didn’t miss the notes, did he?”   
  
Minato slowly blinks at her, like how a robot might look when booting up. “Ochako.” he nods in greeting, like a faux morning bow.   
  
She squeals, still getting used to being called her first name. “Oh right, I forgot you don’t talk much! Silly me.” 

He shakes his head. “I haven’t heard any news about Izuku.” Is all he can say. He really hopes that the broccoli would walk in at any second.   
  
The door flies open. Minato looks over, perhaps the universe answered his prayer? But alas, it was **him**. The one Minato disdains. He huffs and turns away.

A young man, clad in UA’s uniform walks in. Looking prim and proper, his navy blue hair is combed and slicked, glasses completely square, matching his rigid posturing. Looking closer, it would seem he managed to even make his irises square shaped.   
  
“Good morning, classmates of 1-A! It is an honor to greet you this fine morning.” He stiffly bows, going into a ninety degree angle.   
  
“G-Good morning!” Akira chimes back, trying to be a little normal.  
  
“Too slow!” The square chimes in. “You should keep your replies fast and concise. Please refrain from stuttering in the morning. It is very undignified.” The oddly deep voiced boy commands. 

Akira winces and shrinks in on himself, while Minato scowls even further, giving off a deadly aura.

A blonde kid kicking it back smiles and laughs. “Geez, what’s up with you? It’s the first day. Learn to relax a little.” He pushes his yellow spiked bangs back. Something of note, he has a black lightning stripe of hair going horizontally on his bangs. 

The bluenette shakes his head. “More and more improper undignified students. UA really took you in?” He gives the blondie a glare, causing the blondie to sit up a bit straighter. 

Bakugo leans back, making his chair scuff. Minato is glaring at the back of the glasses wearer.  _ ‘Why is this guy so annoying?’ _ He asks himself.  _ ‘Who does he think he is?’ _ Telling strangers off. It’s  _ exactly _ what he did during the exam too.

The 1-A door slides open, but Minato doesn't have a chance to see who has walked in. Putting his focus on the argument starting. The whole class is watching. 

As if summoned by the chair scuff, square boy rounded onto spiky. “Remove your feet from that desk! Such an action is an affront to those before you, and those to come! You should hold more respect for school property and the craftsmen who toiled to create this desk!” 

Bakugo rounds on him, turning his head, a cackle forming, happy to be able to butt heads with the Four Eyes. “Like I care!” He starts laughing creepily, taking too much joy from this. “What middle school spit out a lame brain like you?”

Not understand the rhetoric, the deep voiced boy answers. “I am Tenya Iida, the younger brother of Ingenium. And I hail from the Somei Private Academy.” 

Bakugo stands up, hands twitching, still smiling despite the intimidating glare in his eyes. “Somei? So you really are just a stuck up elitist! Did you make sure to use your private school connections to get in this class? Maybe I should just blow you to bits!” Emphasizing this, his hands smoke and pop.

Iida reels back, even his shocked actions looking stiff and robotic. “Blow me to bits?!” He gasps out. “You’re awful! Do you really want to become a hero with that vernacular???” He asks, dreading the answer. 

Something in Iida’s line of sight distracts him from the dangerous exchange. A young man hovers behind the 1-A classroom door, looking ready to bolt at any second. Uraraka bounces, and Minato stands up. Standing in the door is none other than Midoriya Izuku.

Izuku stands in the doorway, clutching his backpack like his life depends on it. His eyes are wide and he’s already half backing out of the doorway like a baby mouse ready to hide in the smallest hole.   
  
Iida shuffles to him, looking stiff and apprehensive. Minato moves out from behind his desk, not wanting for that glasses guy to bully his timid...uh..would he even be considered a friend? It’s not like Minato spoke to him outside of the one time during the exam. 

Shaking his head, he moves to interfere, because whatever Izuku is, he won’t stand by while he’s bullied. He soon learns he didn’t need to do that at all.  
  
“I-Iida Tenya, a Somei alumni.” He reaches out to shake Izuku’s hand.  
  
“I-I heard you earlier…” He talks in a quick mumble. “Ah.. I’m Izuku Midoriya, it’s a pleasure to meet you Iida.” He puts his hands in front of him, waving them around nervously as he can’t hold eye contact.

Iida peers right at him, doing a full hand point. “Midoriya...you...you surmised what the practical was actually about. While I did not. I completely misjudged you.” He looks away, grinding his teeth in shame. “I hate to admit this, but you were the superior candidate by far!” This causes Midoriya to go pink and somehow radiate more nervous energy.  
  
Minato and Uraraka are now much closer. “Hey there!” Uraraka starts. “Did you miss our phone numbers? We put them on your forehead after the exam.” She asks, getting right to the point.   
  
Izuku jolts up, his hair standing up from Uraraka calling out to him. He turns to her, going from pink to red. It’s clear he’s admiring her bubbly and charming aura. 

His eyes go dizzy from looking all over. “I-I didn’t miss the numbers...I-I just was too nervous to s-save them to my phone and then they ended up in the wash and got destroyed and by then Ihadn’twrittenitdownanditwastoolate” He mutters out in high speed. Somehow managed to talk faster and faster. 

Minato blinks. That was a lot to take in. “That’s fine.” He replies. Being the first to understand everything Mirdoriya mumbled out.  
  
Uraraka laughs. “Yeah, Minato’s right! Besides, you got in! Just like Mr. Mic said!'' Uraraka throws a hefty air punch. “It makes sense though, your punch was awesome!” She cheers.   
  
Midoriys manages to turn an even darker shade of red, as he reaches up to cover his face with his hand and his head with his arm. He’s now effectively blocked out the world. “Aw shucks...I mean aahhh so embarrassing...B-But thanks!!! Both of you...for speaking on my behalf...I’m...it’s a...hhh.” Midoriya fumbles the words out.  
  
Uraraka tilts her head. “Huh, how’d you know about that?”   
  
Midoriya goes quiet, and Bakugou glares at the green haired boy.  
  
Minato nods, agreeing with Ochako’s rant. “We’ve got our entrance ceremony today right? And then the guidance sessions next? It’s going to be so exciting! I wonder what our homeroom teacher will be like?” She keeps talking, also showing her own nerves. “Boy I sure am nervous!” 

Midoriya keeps shrinking away from the pure mirth coming from the girl. Minato has leaned away as well, not wanting the mirth to spread it’s inky claws into him. By now, every student is in a seat besides Iida, Uraraka, Midoriya, and Minato.  
  
“If you’re here to gab like it’s some tea party, then get out.” Comes a voice...from outside of the door. On the ground.   
  
The four look down, slowly processing. On the pristine clean floors of UA, lies a homeless man. He’s in a yellow, puffer sleeping bag. His messy long locks of hair hang out of his banana abode. His chin is peppered with stubble and his eye bags appear to also have eye bags. For a moment, Minato wonders if he should call security.  
  
The man on the ground pulls out a juice pack, his hand covers most of it, but from what the kids can glean it says, ‘Peach sauce flavored pure caffeine sludge! Great for on the go!’   
  
“This is-” He puts the pack in his mouth. In one good suck, he downs the packet in less than a second. Minato is jealous of such eating speed. “-the Hero course.” The man hobbles up. Peeling the sleeping bag off. He looks like a butterfly emerging from its pupal. 

None of the kids can react. Akira is just too...weirded out. Yu on the other hand is just watching. The kids all stand in unison, not really knowing what to expect from the strange man in front of them.   
  
“It took...eight seconds for you all to quiet down. Time is too precious to be wasting like that. You’re not a very rational bunch are you?” He fully steps out of the sleeping bag. 

Midoriya is so stunned, he momentarily forgot he was supposed to be anxious. “So he’s a pro hero too…?” He wonders aloud.

“I’m your homeroom teacher. Shota Aizawa, pleasure to meet you all.” He deadpans. Somehow his red, shot eyes look more pronounced when he introduces himself.

_‘He’s our homeroom teacher???’_ rings out from the collective mind of 1-A students.  
  
Aizawa reaches into his puffy sleeping pod. After a bit of rummaging, he pulls out...a track suit. “Without wasting any time, change into your gym clothes and meet at the fields.” One by one, a student comes up and takes a uniform of their measurement.

  
  


* * *

**“A test of our quirks??”**

The kids of 1-A cry out, indignant to be doing a test so early on the first day. 

Uraraka comes up behind their teacher. “Sir what about the entrance ceremony? Or the guidance sessions?!” She asks, worried to be missing them.  
  
“No time to waste on the miscellany. Heroes forgo that fanfare.” He informs them, while guiding them to the large sport field. 

He walks a couple paces ahead of them, and raises his voice enough to be heard. “I’m sure you have all heard, UA is known for its ‘freestyle’ educational system. This applies to my job as well.”

“With that in mind, think of this...

“Soft ball throwing,  
  
Standing long jump,  
  
The fifty meter dash,  
  
“Endurance running, grip strength, upper body training, and seated toe touch.”

He turns to address the class. “Those are all gym events you’ve done up until now without being allowed the use of your quirks, correct?” 

The classroom nods, following what he’s putting down.  
  
“This nation has perpetuated these tests without allowing the use of quirks to create a national average that doesn’t acknowledge quirks. It’s completely irrational.”   
  
Aizawa goes and picks up a softball. He holds it up. He looks at a list. “Minato Arikuyo.” Whispers start up, everyone recognizing the name of the top student from the practical that managed to score a perfect hundred. “How far could you throw while in middle school?” 

The student collective looks around. Everyone wants to find out who the highscore boy is. The quiet, slouched boy in the crowd steps forward. “ 55 meters…” Is his answer.  
  
“That’s underwhelming.” Aizawa points out. The whole class agrees. Aizawa tosses the softball at Minato. “I want you to try it with your quirk. Go all out, just don’t leave the circle.” He points to the circle on the ground. 

Minato stares at the ball. Everyone is wondering what he’s going to do to throw the ball.   
  
“Did you happen to catch what his quirk was?” Momo asks.   
  


“It’s Armament.” Yu answers. He grins. This is going to be soooo sweet.   
  
“Armament? What’s that?” The lightning mark blond asks.  
  
As if to answer the question, Minato is engulfed in brilliant blue flames. They momentarily color everything a tinge of azure. The sounds of a gun shot seems to come from Minato as the flames dissipate.  
  


  
He stands in his transformed glory, cooler than the ice straight from Antarctica. He pulls his shield from his back. “Any way right?” 

Everyone leans forward, looking at the quirk. Izuku from where he is puts his hands up to his face, already fanboying. He starts muttering about how he thinks Minato’s quirk works. People move away from the muttering boy.  
  
Aizawa grins. “Give it all you’ve got kid.”   
  
Minato nods. He readies his shield in one hand and tosses the ball up in a straight line. He swiftly pulls the shield back, his right elbow is tucked, while his left arm wraps around him. He is practically resting his cheek on the harp shaped slab. When the ball is in sight, Minato rotates with all his might, hitting the ball with the power and efficiency of a baseball player hitting a homerun.   
  
_CLANG!_ Rings out the hollow sound of metal. Minato stares bored, as the ball soars out of sight. Aizawa nods, glad the kid got it. 

Aizawa has a device in hand. “It’s important for us to know what our limits are. In order to overcome them. This will be the first rational thing I have you all do as your teacher. All of this will be the building blocks for figuring out what kind of heroes you’ll be.” He points the device out to the others.  
  
702.3M  
  
The device registers over seven hundred meters. The whole class freaks out. Smiles on their faces.   
  
“Whoa! This is so awesome!” A pink haired girl jumps up, stretching her arms into the air.  
  
“Over seven hundred meters!” A spiky red head cheers, fist bumping.  
  
“So we can use our quirks for real! Man this hero course is awesome!” the electric boogaloo boy says while smirking. 

The mood shifts. As a dark and oppressive smaug emanates from the homeroom teacher. “Awesome...you say? Here you are, hoping to become heroes in just three short years.” He leans forward, the atmosphere seems to be sucked in by this teacher's intimidation alone. “And you think it’s supposed to be all fun and games along the way?” 

He waits for a response, and receives none. “Huh…” He gives them all a dead stare. No joy, no pleasure, no sadness, no anger. Just a judgmental voice. “Right then. The one to score the lowest across all seven events of my choosing, will be deemed hopeless and _expelled_ on the spot.”   
  
“WHAAAATTT?” The kids cry out. Looks like there won’t be any fun and games today. What was looking to be a nice afternoon, filled with testing oneself and improving, will have to be put on the back burner. Aizawa has effectively put the biggest burden on them possible. Hanging the ever looming sword of expulsion over their heads, expecting that they all outperform themselves. 

Aizawa gains a sparkle to his eyes finally. “Welcome to your first day of Hell. Your fates are at the mercy of us teachers, so you better be able to take the heat. That’s right kiddos, this is the devilish hero course of U.A high school!” He concludes, cackling like he’s on a power trip.

  
  



	5. Lesson 5: Quirk Apprehension Test Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quirk apprehension test goes on! Aizawa has his hands full.

Aizawa is met with immediate resistance. All the kids jump up to protest him. The aura surrounding the teacher doesn’t dissipate and grows even stronger. He gives them all a challenging look with the hopes of motivating them out of spite or fear.

“Lowest scorer...will get kicked out.” Midoriya parrots with his voice shaking as he is scared witless. His eyes turn into nervous swirls as he chews on his own fingernails.  
  
“It’s only the first day... I mean even if this was the last day, it still wouldn’t be fair!” Uraraka cries out. She faces the teacher head on with her large eyes boring holes into his head. She gives him a fierce and determined look despite being afraid of getting kicked out.  
  
“We all just got here sir, please reconsider!” Akira tries politely begging. His hair goes even more frazzled as his glasses slip down his nose. His eyes panicky look around trying to see if anyone else feels the same way as him.   
  
Minato just huffs as he looks down _‘I knew this would happen...This is UA.’_ He just shrugs as he mentally begins to prepare himself. He looks at the panicky students, _‘they will be fine, why are they freaking out?’_ The blueberry shakes his head, making his hair swoosh about but other than that he doesn’t outwardly emote past that.

Yu and Bakugo both smile as they are the only two not worried about this. Bakugo looks menacingly manic as he grins feraly and his quirk crackles to life on the palms of his hand. Yu does a pumped up gesture by pulling his fist into his side with gusto.

Aizawa shakes his head, tutting. “You think this is a fair world? Natural disasters...highway pileups...rampaging villains...Anything and everything goes wrong in this world. I’d say, Japan is full of unfair things.” Aizawa sighs as he musses his scraggly mop. “...Heroes...we’re the ones that correct that unfairness. If you kids were hoping to coast through this and have time to hang out and have free time...I’m sorry to tell you all but for the next three years you’re all going to be painfully reborn.”  
  
“That’s _Plus Ultra._ ”

“Use every advantage you have today. Use your strength to overcome this, and everything to come. Bring it on you youths.” He waggles his finger at them, in a ‘come and get me’ gesture. His pep talk helped to fire up the entire class. They now no longer fear the gym exercises. 

“The demonstration from earlier is over, Now it’s for real.” 

* * *

  
  


Event 1: 50-Meter Dash

Everyone takes turns racing and being timed. This event seems simple at first, but several kids get a chance to shine and show their creativity. Minato goes up against Uraraka in the first event.  
  
Before the race Uraraka used her chance to use her quirk cleverly, making her clothes and shoes completely weightless. Minato however fine tunes his transformation so he only has his shield. At Homeroom’s signal, the two take off. Well Uraraka does. 

Minato instead throws his shield like a snowboard, and he hops on it. It seems like a good idea in hindsight. However, hindsight isn’t 20/20. The shield stops sliding mid dash, and he runs the rest of the way. Leaving it behind. 

Uraraka still had a better time than Minato. Her’s being 7.15 seconds. And his being 8.06 seconds. Minato slumps. He’s thoroughly disappointed his amazing shield-board plan didn’t work out correctly. Uraraka laughs a bit, thinking it was hilarious, and he glowers at her. 

Next up is Akira vs. Tenya.

Aizawa might have rigged this match up, he saw how both of them moved in the practical. He wants to know if the fluffier one will be able to actually stop properly. He’ll give him a second chance to do it, and if he can’t stop in both times, he’s out. UA might get mad for expelling this one from the hero course, but he doesn’t care.

Iida and Akira line up for the 50 meter dash. Akira transforms, red flames curling around him and making his wings bloom. The whole class oo’s and aw’s at this transformation, seems how it is so extra. 

Akira gushes from the attention, he winks at the fawning girls, as he takes a running stance. Iida joins him at the start line. Waiting for the signal.  
  
Aizawa shoots the blank gun, the noise signalling the start. The two take off, and within nothing short of seconds clear 50 meters. Iida clocking in at 2.98. Akira would have gotten 2.97, but he overshot, somehow managing to fling himself into the nearby dividers. He gets up chuckling. 

Iida stares at him. _‘If he had better control of his quirk, he’d probably be faster than me.’_ He does some cool down stretches as his engines start cooling off.   
  
“Do it again.” Aizawa's voice comes. “if you can’t stop this time you’re out.” A cold chill washes over the group. “Unlike most of the others here, you seem to have no control or grasp of your quirk. I’m not going to let you stay in this course if you keep endangering yourself and others with your lack of control.” Aizawa ends this by giving Akira a once over _‘he’s so much like his older brother, but nothing like him...I hope he’s not going to be as much of a handful as the other one.’_ _  
_  
Minato and Yu both look at Aizawa. _‘Did he really just say that?’_ Yu glares at the teacher as walks up to him. He’s an inch shorter than his new mentor but while walking up to the older he transforms. The yellow flames wash over him as static tv noises rain off him. Now that he is transformed, he’s almost a foot taller than him. He focuses his intense yellow eyes onto dull black ones as he is ready to fight with his teacher.

“Would you mind repeating that sensei?” Yu says while getting very protective. The group of students are unsure of all this and collectively decide to back up. Minato, knowing he needs to interfere, comes up and bumps into Yu’s knees from behind. Knocking his behemoth brother down to the ground. He grabs Yu by the ear and begins dragging him away in a painful and undignified manner. 

“He’s right, If Aki can’t do this he’s out.” Is all he says. Yu looks stunned at his older brother, he knows that Minato can be cold but not _this_ cold. He looks away from his older brother and drops his transformation, holding his ear in pain, he looks down with a heavy frown on his face.  
  
“Sorry Sensei…” He trails off still not fully understanding what the purpose of putting Akira on the spot is for. He looks at Akira with worry, mentally he prays that his younger brother succeeds. Akira gets up and rubs his head, making his fluffy hair even fluffier.   
  
“A-Alright, let’s do it again.” he jogs back to the start line, focusing on the task at hand. Instead of looking nervous he instead looks determined.  
  
“Aizawa-Sensei, should I repeat it too?” Iida asks. “I believe I can go even faster.” He sips more orange juice up, providing fuel to his engines. With his drink finished he sets the cup down and goes to stand by Akira. He nods at the red speedster showing he’d eager to redo this too.  
  
“Sure why not, it’s no fun running alone.” The sloppy man shrugs. The two get ready, taking runner’s stances. As they prepare, Aizawa gets out a clipboard and writes down some notes. _‘Definitely doesn't talk back like his elder.’_ The mentor gives Yu a cursory glance before turning back to the two racers. _‘That one certainly didn’t fall far from the tree. He’s a lot like him, height and attitude wise.’_ Aizawa watches as Akira and Iida mentally prepare to run again.  
  
Akira usually would be panicking, however mentaly he is calmly thinking on how to go slow enough to stop. _‘I can summon parts of my transformation… maybe I can choose to just bring out my boots and wings?’_ He closes his eyes tightly, focusing on pulling on just those specific parts. He has to be able to do this to become a hero after all.

“...how can you be so calm?” Yu asks Minato as he is still visibly upset. Yu doesn’t like that his older brother isn’t standing up for the younger. “What if he doesn’t pull this off?” Yu rambles, almost biting his nails. “He could trip again, not transform right...he could fail.”

“Do you not believe in him?” Minato asks. “You doubt him that much?” Yu swivels onto his older brother, ready to defend himself. Minato himself holds Yu’s gaze. The two seem to be mentally arguing.   
  
Over at the start line, a red plume of flame surrounds Akira as he tweaks his over the top transformation. When the flames ebate, they reveal he now only has his wings and boots. The red of the boots clash with the blue of the UA gym uniform but none of that matters now.   
  
Aizawa grins already proud of his students. He signals the start again by firing his noisy little prop. Akira and Iida take off for the second time both simply being blurs of color. They manage even better times in the second round. Akira skids a bit but sticks the proverbial landing as he manages to properly stop himself. He clocked in at 2.94, while Iida got 2.95.

Akira whoops and hollers from his accomplishment. He jumps up and down as his form drops. He runs over to Minato and Yu. “I did it! Did you see, did you see?” He grabs Yu and shakes him vigorously. He smiles a wide joyous grin at his two brothers as his excitement makes his gray eyes sparkle with happiness. The smiles melts the hearts of everyone who sees it.

Yu is shaken but not stirred. Sirved on ice. “Y-Yeah I saw.” He grins. “That was great!” He picks him up into a big bear hug. Minato gives him a knowing stare. Only he can somehow make a stare oh so smug. Yu sets Akira back down as he does a big brother, pro gamer move, and ruffles the blackette’s messy fringe. Akira gives a soft smile and giggle as he enjoys the affection his older brother offers.

Iida also grins, making his best time yet. He comes up to Akira. “Thanks for competing with me.” He bows a perfect angle. “Without you there to push me I wouldn’t have improved so fast.” Akira grins and puts a hand out for him too.  
  
“I was pushed to go faster by you too!” They shake hands. Izuku comes over too now more comfortable to ask about their quirks. He starts talking to them by asking them about their quirks in rapid fire succession.  
  
“Ok, next.” Aizawa calls. More and more kids go, one by one. They’re all doing a lot to show their quirks. The sparkly kid from Minato’s practical uses his naval laser to push himself in the dash. The peppermint looking kid uses ice to skate through the course. Another girl runs on all fours, hopping across like a frog. A pink girl slides on a purple-gray slime.   
  
Soon it’s up to Bakugo and Izuku to race. Aizawa saw the exam, and he is making sure Yu and Bakugo _never_ get to pair up. He puts a gun up, readying to start the race.   
  
Bakugo puts his arms around himself, palms facing out behind himself while the green haired squirrely boy takes a weak running stance. 

_ Bang _ ! And that’s the sound of the starting pistol. 

“Explosive Speed!” Bakugo cries out with enthusiasm.  
  
“Huh?” Izuku looks over, as Bakugo uses his explosions to rocket himself across the finish line. He gets a 4.13. Izuku crosses, after picking himself up, due to Bakugo’s explosions knocking him over. Getting a 7.02.

Bakugo looks back at Izuku, to see the score he got. He wants to know where he places. He’s trying to figure out how some  _ Deku _ got into this class.

Next up, Yu lines up with a crow boy. The two look at eachother and nod. Aizawa fires his gun making them take off. Yu decided not to use his quirk in this event, as his quirk provides no advantages to him in speed. Tokoyami, the young crow boy, uses his quirk dark shadow to glide across. He manages a 4.20. Yu gets 5.01.

The bowl cut puts a hand out for Tokoyami to shake. Tokoyami nods at him.  
  
“Yu Arikuyo, nice racing you.” He introduces. Tokoyami shakes his hand. He nods back at him.   
  


“Tokoyami. Good race.” The two give the other a small smile. 

The rest of the kids complete the dash. They move onto the rest of the events.   
  
  


* * *

Event 2: Grip Strength

Midoriya gulps. He didn’t do that well in the last event. He’s worried about being expelled, someone already had the whip cracked on them! He looks at Akira. ‘That guy has an amazing quirk and even he was almost expelled.’ Panic courses him, he doesn’t know what to do to get a better score.

Minato transforms his arm and grips the machine, 80 kilograms is what the screen reads. He puts it down and looks at Akira. The boy is holding his arm and gripping the heck out of the machine. It reads 55 kilograms. He lets out the breath he was holding. Minato nods, he looks at Izuku and sees him struggling. He sighs, knowing that Izuku’s quirk is bad for him to use. He turns his head to Yu.  
  
Yu transforms fully, gripping the machine. It reads 700kg before it’s smashed to bits. He laughs, enjoying this event. Minato walks over, grabbing ear again. “Yu, come help me with something.” 

Yu looks at Minato, the words  _ ‘help me’ _ echoing in his mind. Minato asked for help from him. That’s a novelty. He wonders if up is down, and if left is right. His eyes dart around in fear.

“Stop freaking out you idiot.” He drags Yu over to Izuku. “Izuku. This is Yu. Here.” He hands his younger, taller brother over and walks away.  
  
Yu looks down at Izuku, his height slightly going down as he de-transforms. He looks back at Minato, Minato makes a gesture by swiping his neck. Yu gulps, not knowing what to take from Minato’s normal death threat. He receives one at least twice a day, sure, but at least he usually knows _why_ his brother is getting ready to kill him.

“Why did he…?” Izuku asks Yu, who just shrugs.   
  
“He brought me over, and if I don’t do whatever he expects….” He grimaces. “Then I’m a dead man.”   
  
“Heh…” Izuku looks at his face. “U-Uhm…” The two just stand there awkwardly. The silence is _palpable_. The longer it lasts, the more the two want to talk.  
  
“So…” Yu starts “these events… amiright?” He laughs. He is sooooooo bad at small talk all of a sudden. Izuku looks away, not sure what to say to the tall boy. 

Yu gulps. He’s going to die. Minato comes up next to him. “...” Minato’s aura intimidates Yu and Izuku.    


“You both have the same strength problems.” He pushes out. “...So..I thought you could  _ help him. _ ” He makes a face, it’s written by expression alone that he doesn’t like the idea of asking Yu for help. 

“So _ help him. _ ” He leaves them to it. Yu already knows what’ll happen if he doesn’t help Izuku. 

He stands up rigidly. “Of course! So you have a strength quirk too?” He asks Midoriya.  
  
The greenette gulps, not sure what he’s going to have to say. “I-I recently d-developed my quirk…” He wraps arms around himself, body language emanating the same as that of a timid bunny, clearly nervous and unsure. “I-I don’t really have control on it like I should… Last time I used it I sort of… broke every bone in my body?” He chuckles, even though it is not funny at all.

“Huh. They just… broke?” the silverette asks. “You broke  _ every _ bone? How?” He’s genuinely worried and curious. “My quirk doesn't do that man, are you doing it wrong?”

Izuku jumps a bit. “I-I uhh clenched… and threw a punch… ummm I went all out?” He tries to explain. It comes out in broken thoughts. “One minute I am on the ground… the next I'm in the air and the zero pointer was blown to smithereens.” He looks at his fist and shudders, remembering the absolute damage he endured. 

“So you managed to throw a punch amazing enough to smash a zero pointer… but can’t use your strength past that?” He thinks out loud. “Does your power work all at once? Like do you fully flex everything?” He looks at him. The bowl cut boy tries to understand.  
  
The hapless boy shrugs. “I’m new to it… but that sounds right… I think my bones broke from that.” He throws a fake punch. “When I actually hit the robot it felt like… nothing at all. So I think my own quirk activating is what smashed my bones. I did some reading that some power quirks strengthen just the muscles and not the bones. Bones are stronger than steel and have ten times the compression rate of a metal. However, there’s been cases where some people’s muscles can flex with enough force to crack their own bones resulting in stress fractures. I think that is what happened when I used my q-” Izuku’s long winded quirk observation is cut off by Yu putting a hand on his mouth, to stop him from going on.  
  
“...” His eyes look like piercing gray radars, and his ears are releasing steam. All the rambling and information is making Yu overwhelmed. “...So… you already know the problem.” He steps back.  
  
“What do you mean?” Deku asks. The freckled boy looks confused.   
  
“I mean...well…” Yu scratches his chin and looks away. “I don’t flex… every muscle to throw a punch.” 

Izuku stares at him.  
  
Yu stares back.  
  
A silence stretches out.  
  
“....”  
  
Yu tilts his head at Izuku. “Do you still need...strength advice…?”

Midoriya grimaces. “I-I...uhh...hh..I’m fine, no thank you.” He bows awkwardly. “Have a nice day!”   
  
He flees. Yu stands there, he wasn’t wrong! Where is the lie? You don’t use every muscle to throw a punch. He looks at his own hands. He hasn’t been punching wrong this whole time right? He begins to self doubt. 

Minato and Aizawa both glare from their separate perches. ‘These frickin kids’ running through each of their minds.

Izuku finds a corner. He looks at the grip device. He already knows he has to practice regulation! All Might already talked to him about regulating it.  
  
A memory replays itself for Midoriya. _“If you’re imagining your power like an egg in a microwave… Then try reducing the power, shorten the cooking time, do what you can to keep the egg from exploding.”_ He gulps… easier said than done.  
  
Izuku hasn’t had any sort of quirk to fine tune like this before. It’s nothing like he expected. He contemplates on how to do this. He can’t control his new quirk. As All Might’s successor, he can’t afford to use all his strength in this one event and then bow out. The last time he attempted to use this power, it broke him.   
  
_“I don’t flex every muscle to throw a punch.”_ plays in his head as well. It was strange advice. He puts the gripper in his dominant hand. He wonders if he should activate his quirk, but then he remembers his bones turning to powder inside of him during the practical. He shudders as he unconsciously grips the machine, making it read 40kg. 

Izuku grimaces, as he knows this was another failure of the day.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Third Event: Standing Long Jump

For this event, everyone lined up, going one by one to show their stuff. This one was pretty simple: jump as far as you can. 

Bakugo rocketed himself across, showing he’s capable of gliding. Shiny boy, who’s by now introduced himself as Yuga Aoyama, uses his belly button blast to travel a vast distance. Akira uses his wings. A frog girl also managed to clear a far distance from her impressive hind legs alone. 

Overall, this event went by without a hitch. Aizawa recorded all their jumping distances. Everyone performed as expected. He writes down their scores as they move on.

  
  
Fourth Event: Side stepping

This event went about the same as the last. It involves jumping side by side and seeing how fast you can do it. By now the kids are used to implementing their quirks to benefit their scores. Aizawa huffs a lazy grin on his tired face, ‘ _ these kids are starting to actually act like they belong in the hero course.’  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a tad short but I hope it still gets some laughs!

**Author's Note:**

> I've received a lot of wonderful help with this AU. I would like to personally thank Annavanpie, Kentario, Mezmo, Jackie Chan, and Sata Nael for their edits, feedback, and general encouragement!!! This fic wouldn't exist at all without them.


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